Activities of Bart STAES
Plenary speeches (629)
Discharge 2017 (debate) NL
Union’s authorisation procedure for pesticides (debate) NL
Union’s authorisation procedure for pesticides (debate) NL
Conflict of interest and the protection of the EU budget in the Czech Republic (debate) NL
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2017 (debate) NL
Discharge 2016: EU general budget - European Council and Council (debate) NL
Discharge 2016: EU general budget - European Council and Council (debate) NL
Discharge 2016: European Asylum Support Office (EASO) (debate) NL
Discharge 2016: European Asylum Support Office (EASO) (debate) NL
Discharge 2016 (debate) NL
Discharge 2016 (debate) NL
Integrity policy of the Commission, in particular the appointment of the Secretary-General of the European Commission (debate) NL
Zero tolerance for female genital mutilation (debate) NL
Objection to an implementing act: use of phosphoric acid – phosphates – di – tri – and polyphosphates (E 338-452) in frozen vertical meat spits (debate) NL
Discharge 2015: EU general budget - European Council and Council (debate) NL
Discharge 2015: EU general budget - European Council and Council (debate) NL
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2016 (debate) NL
Fipronil scandal: how to improve the EU rapid alert system for food and feed (debate) NL
Single Seat of the European Parliament (debate) NL
Harnessing globalisation by 2025 (debate) NL
Discharge 2015 (debate) NL
Fraudulent practices in the Brazilian meat sector (debate) NL
End-of-life vehicles, waste batteries and accumulators and waste electrical and electronic equipment - Landfill of waste - Waste - Packaging and packaging waste (debate) NL
Food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products (debate) NL
EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement - Conclusion of the EU-Canada CETA - EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement (debate) NL
Biological low risk pesticides (debate) NL
A European Pillar of Social Rights (debate) NL
Nomination of a Member of the Court of Auditors - Juhan Parts (A8-0375/2016 - Bart Staes) (vote) NL
EU-Colombia and Peru Trade Agreement (accession of Ecuador) (A8-0362/2016 - Helmut Scholz) NL
Market access to port services and financial transparency of ports (A8-0023/2016 - Knut Fleckenstein) NL
Annual Report on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter 2015 (A8-0355/2016 - Josef Weidenholzer) NL
CAP tools to reduce price volatility in agricultural markets (A8-0339/2016 - Angélique Delahaye) NL
Situation of fundamental rights in the European Union in 2015 (A8-0345/2016 - József Nagy) NL
A coherent EU policy for cultural and creative industries (A8-0357/2016 - Christian Ehler, Luigi Morgano) NL
Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (debate) NL
EU-Ghana Stepping Stone Economic Partnership Agreement (A8-0328/2016 - Christofer Fjellner) NL
Liability, compensation and financial security for offshore oil and gas operations (A8-0308/2016 - Kostas Chrysogonos) NL
EU-Turkey relations (RC-B8-1276/2016, B8-1276/2016, B8-1277/2016, B8-1278/2016, B8-1279/2016, B8-1280/2016, B8-1281/2016, B8-1282/2016, B8-1283/2016) NL
EU action plan against wildlife trafficking (A8-0303/2016 - Catherine Bearder) NL
New opportunities for small transport businesses (A8-0304/2016 - Dominique Riquet) NL
Implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy (A8-0317/2016 - Ioan Mircea Paşcu) NL
Activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision (debate) NL
European Defence Union (A8-0316/2016 - Urmas Paet) NL
Increasing the effectiveness of development cooperation (A8-0322/2016 - Cristian Dan Preda) NL
Nuclear security and non-proliferation (B8-1120/2016, RC-B8-1122/2016, B8-1122/2016, B8-1125/2016, B8-1129/2016, B8-1130/2016, B8-1131/2016, B8-1132/2016) NL
How the CAP can improve job creation in rural areas (A8-0285/2016 - Eric Andrieu) NL
Trans fats (B8-1115/2016) NL
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2015 (debate) NL
EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (A8-0283/2016 - Sophia in 't Veld) NL
General budget of the European Union for 2017 - all sections (debate) NL
Implementation of the Food Contact Materials Regulation (A8-0237/2016 - Christel Schaldemose) NL
Global goals and EU commitments on nutrition and food security in the world (B8-1042/2016) NL
Need for a European reindustrialisation policy in light of the recent Caterpillar and Alstom cases (RC-B8-1051/2016, B8-1051/2016, B8-1052/2016, B8-1053/2016, B8-1055/2016, B8-1056/2016, B8-1057/2016, B8-1058/2016) NL
Conclusion on behalf of the EU of the Paris Agreement adopted under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (Giovanni La Via (A8-0280/2016)) NL
The future of ACP-EU relations beyond 2020 (A8-0263/2016 - Norbert Neuser) NL
18th birthday Interrail pass for Europe (debate) NL
How best to harness the job creation potential of SMEs? (A8-0248/2016 - Zdzisław Krasnodębski) NL
Application of the Employment Equality Directive (A8-0225/2016 - Renate Weber) NL
Activities, impact and added value of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund between 2007 and 2014 (A8-0227/2016 - Marian Harkin) NL
Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs (A8-0162/2016 - Rosa D'Amato) NL
Order of business NL
Energy efficiency labelling (A8-0213/2016 - Dario Tamburrano) NL
Refugees: social inclusion and integration into the labour market (A8-0204/2016 - Brando Benifei) NL
The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition (A8-0169/2016 - Maria Heubuch) NL
Unfair trading practices in the food supply chain (A8-0173/2016 - Edward Czesak) NL
Technological solutions for sustainable agriculture (A8-0174/2016 - Anthea McIntyre) NL
Enhancing innovation and economic development in future European farm management (A8-0163/2016 - Jan Huitema) NL
Framework Agreement on parental leave (A8-0076/2016 - Maria Arena) NL
Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings (A8-0144/2016 - Catherine Bearder) NL
European Investment Bank annual report 2014 (debate) NL
Use of Passenger Name Record data (EU PNR) (A8-0248/2015 - Timothy Kirkhope) NL
Protection of trade secrets against their unlawful acquisition, use and disclosure (A8-0199/2015 - Constance Le Grip) NL
2015 Report on Turkey (B8-0442/2016) NL
Private sector and development (A8-0043/2016 - Nirj Deva) NL
Towards improved single market regulation (A8-0278/2015 - Anneleen Van Bossuyt) NL
Animal health (A8-0041/2016 - Jasenko Selimovic) NL
Aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in the educational establishments (A8-0006/2016 - Marc Tarabella) NL
Market access to port services and financial transparency of ports (A8-0023/2016 - Knut Fleckenstein) NL
Tobacco agreement (PMI agreement) (debate) NL
Establishment of a European Platform to enhance cooperation in the prevention and deterrence of undeclared work (A8-0172/2015 - Georgi Pirinski) NL
Commission action to comply with judgment in Case T-521/14 Sweden vs. Commission (obligation to establish criteria for endocrine disruptors) (debate) NL
Skills policies for fighting youth unemployment (A8-0366/2015 - Marek Plura) NL
Objection pursuant to Rule 106 on emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 6) (debate) NL
Arms export: implementation of the Common Position 2008/944/CFSP (A8-0338/2015 - Bodil Valero) NL
Patents and plant breeders rights (RC-B8-1394/2015, B8-1394/2015, B8-1395/2015, B8-1399/2015, B8-1400/2015) NL
Protection of Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (B8-1346/2015) NL
Situation in Hungary: follow-up to the European Parliament Resolution of 10 June 2015 (B8-1349/2015, B8-1351/2015, B8-1351/2015, B8-1358/2015, B8-1359/2015, B8-1360/2015, B8-1361/2015) NL
Outcome of the COP 21 (debate) NL
Making Europe's electricity grid fit for 2020 (A8-0330/2015 - Peter Eriksson) NL
Objection pursuant to Rule 106: authorisation of genetically modified maize NK603xT25 (debate) NL
Objection pursuant to Rule 106: authorisation of genetically modified maize NK603xT25 (debate) NL
Decision adopted on the Circular Economy package (debate) NL
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2014 (debate) NL
A new animal welfare strategy for 2016-2020 (B8-1278/2015, B8-1278/2015, B8-1279/2015, B8-1280/2015, B8-1281/2015, B8-1282/2015, B8-1283/2015) NL
Prevention of radicalisation and recruitment of European citizens by terrorist organisations (A8-0316/2015 - Rachida Dati) NL
EU Strategic framework on health and safety at work 2014-2020 (A8-0312/2015 - Ole Christensen) NL
Reform of the electoral law of the EU (A8-0286/2015 - Danuta Maria Hübner, Jo Leinen) NL
Hearing on summer-time changes in Europe (debate) NL
Use of genetically modified food and feed (debate) NL
Novel foods (debate) NL
European Citizens' Initiative (A8-0284/2015 - György Schöpflin) NL
Package travel and linked travel arrangements (A8-0297/2015 - Birgit Collin-Langen) NL
European single market for electronic communications (A8-0300/2015 - Pilar del Castillo Vera) NL
Towards a new international climate agreement in Paris (debate) NL
Renewal of the EU Plan of action on Gender equality and Women's empowerment in development (B8-0988/2015) NL
Caseins and caseinates intended for human consumption (A8-0042/2015 - Giovanni La Via) NL
ILO Forced Labour Convention: judicial cooperation in criminal matters (A8-0226/2015 - Helga Stevens) NL
Assessment of the 2012 European Year for active ageing and solidarity between generations (A8-0241/2015 - Eduard Kukan) NL
Social entrepreneurship and social innovation in combatting unemployment (A8-0247/2015 - Verónica Lope Fontagné) NL
Creating a competitive EU labour market for the 21st century (A8-0222/2015 - Martina Dlabajová) NL
Cloning of animals kept and reproduced for farming purposes (debate) NL
Cloning of animals kept and reproduced for farming purposes (debate) NL
Cloning of animals kept and reproduced for farming purposes (debate) NL
Correct application of the law on customs and agricultural matters (A8-0234/2015 - Liisa Jaakonsaari) NL
Trade in seal products (A8-0186/2015 - Cristian-Silviu Buşoi) NL
Protecting the EU's financial interests: towards performance-based controls of the CAP (A8-0240/2015 - Petri Sarvamaa) NL
Follow up to the European citizens' initiative Right2Water (A8-0228/2015 - Lynn Boylan) NL
Negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) (debate) NL
Market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme (debate) NL
European Fund for Strategic Investments (debate) NL
Situation in Hungary (RC-B8-0532/2015, B8-0532/2015, B8-0533/2015, B8-0534/2015, B8-0535/2015, B8-0536/2015, B8-0537/2015) NL
2014 Progress Report on Turkey (B8-0455/2015) NL
OLAF Supervisory Committee's annual report 2014 (debate) NL
EU Strategy for equality between women and men post 2015 (debate) NL
Prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing (A8-0153/2015 - Krišjānis Kariņš, Judith Sargentini) NL
Self-certification of importers of minerals and metals originating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas (A8-0141/2015 - Iuliu Winkler) NL
Commission Delegated Directive ../…/EU amending, for the purposes of adapting to technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for cadmium in illumination and display lighting applications" (B8-0464/2015) NL
Maternity leave (B8-0453/2015) NL
Tobacco agreements (debate) NL
Alcohol strategy (B8-0357/2015) NL
European Investment Bank annual report 2013 (A8-0057/2015 - Ernest Urtasun) NL
Discharge 2013: Joint Undertaking for ITER and the development of fusion energy (A8-0108/2015 - Anders Primdahl Vistisen) NL
Estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 2016 - Section I - Parliament (A8-0144/2015 - Gérard Deprez) NL
European Public Prosecutor's Office (A8-0055/2015 - Monica Macovei) NL
Report of the extraordinary European Council meeting (23 April 2015) - The latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies (debate) NL
Reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags (A8-0130/2015 - Margrete Auken) NL
Discharge 2013 (debate) NL
Interchange fees for card-based payment transactions (A8-0022/2015 - Pablo Zalba Bidegain) NL
Progress on equality between women and men in the EU in 2013 (A8-0015/2015 - Marc Tarabella) NL
Criteria for identifying endocrine-disrupting chemicals (debate) NL
Anti-terrorism measures (B8-0100/2015, RC-B8-0122/2015, B8-0122/2015, B8-0124/2015, B8-0125/2015, B8-0126/2015, B8-0127/2015, B8-0132/2015)
Country of origin labelling for meat ingredients in processed food (B8-0097/2015) NL
Possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs (debate) NL
Possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs (debate) NL
Possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs (debate) NL
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2013 (debate) NL
Israel-Palestine after the Gaza war and the role of the EU (B8-0112/2014, B8-0113/2014, B8-0116/2014, RC-B8-0117/2014, B8-0117/2014, B8-0139/2014, B8-0140/2014, B8-0141/2014) NL
EU-Ukraine association agreement, with the exception of the treatment of third country nationals legally employed as workers in the territory of the other party (A8-0002/2014 - Jacek Saryusz-Wolski) NL
EU-Ukraine association agreement, as regards the treatment of third country nationals legally employed as workers in the territory of the other party (A8-0009/2014 - Claude Moraes) NL
2002 discharges (continuation)
2002 discharges (continuation)
Situation in Kosovo
Official feed and food controls
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Commission)
Market access to port services
Forthcoming EU-Russian summit, including the situation in Chechnya (6 November 2003)
Question Time (Commission)
Vote (continuation)
Question Time (Commission)
Vote
Chechnya
One-minute speeches on matters of political importance
Question Time (Council)
Question Time (Council)
2001 discharge procedure
Vote
Question Time (Commission)
Market access to port services
Chechnya
Question Time (Council)
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Commission)
Regional and local authorities in European integration
Debate on the annual report of the Court of Auditors – 2001
Debate on the annual report of the Court of Auditors – 2001
The oil tanker 'Prestige' wrecked off the coast of Galicia
Outcome of EU-Russia summit
Tobacco sponsorship and advertising
Situation in Nepal
Question Time (Council)
CFSP (Common Foreign and Security Policy)
Animal by-products not intended for human consumption
Recent serious problems concerning food safety in the EU
Question Time (Council)
Question Time (Commission)
Election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage
Green Paper on consumer protection/Contamination of food by nitrofen
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Council)
Question Time (Council)
EU/Russia Summit – 28 May 2002
EU/Russia Summit – 28 May 2002
Question Time (Commission)
Situation in Chechnya
2000 discharges
Question Time (Council)
European Council/Belgian Presidency
Question Time (Council)
Green paper on the criminal protection of the Community's financial interests: A European prosecutor
European Food Authority
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report – 2000
2002 budget
Support for a framework agreement in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Human rights
Announcement by the President
Question Time (Council)
Political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Council)
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Council)
European Food Authority
Animal by-products
Question Time (Council)
Welcome
VOTE
Question Time (Council)
Discharges (continuation)
Human rights
Disasters
Fight against fraud
COM in the sugar sector
Situation in Kosovo
Question Time (Council)
Question Time (Commission)
Approval of the Minutes of the previous sitting
VOTE
Special reports of the Court of Auditors
Question Time (Commission)
Political prisoners in Serbia and instability on the borders of Kosovo
Official inspections in the field of animal nutrition
Court of Auditors' annual report for 1999
Aid for reconstruction
Food safety
VOTE
2001 budget procedure (continuation)
Health and safety of pregnant workers
Beef and beef products
1998 discharge
Protecting the Communities’ financial interests and the fight against fraud
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
Transitional civil administration/peace accords
1998 discharge, budgetary control
Animal nutrition inspections
Adoption of the Minutes of the previous sitting
Aeroplane “hushkits”
Vote
50th anniversary of the Geneva Convention – humanitarian law
VOTE
VOTE
Human rights
Human rights
Question Time (Council)
Community policy in the field of water
Question Time (Commission)
Vote
Recourse to the precautionary principle
Response to Second Report of Committee of Independent Experts
Bovine animals and beef: identification, registration and labelling
Annual Report of the Court of Auditors
Votes
EC and ECSC budgets for 2000
Human rights
Public health and food safety
European Reconstruction Agency – Situation in Kosovo
Human rights
Second Report of the Independent Experts
Dioxin
Dioxin
Approval of the Minutes
Flu epidemic (debate)
Common system of VAT as regards tax evasion linked to import and other cross-border transactions (A6-0189/2009, Cornelis Visser)
Conclusions of the G20 Summit (debate)
Statistics on plant protection products (debate)
Statistics on plant protection products (debate)
2007 discharge: EU general budget - Council (debate)
Budget discharges 2007, (Vote will be held on Thursday) (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Croatia: progress report 2008 - Turkey: progress report 2008 - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: progress report 2008 (debate)
Green Paper on the European Workforce for Health (debate)
Court of Auditors Special Report No 10/2008 on ‘EC Development Assistance to Health Services in Sub-Saharan Africa’ (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote (continuation)
Explanations of vote (continuation)
Explanations of vote (continuation)
Framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides - Placing of plant protection products on the market (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Council's approach to revision of OLAF regulation (debate)
Greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system (debate)
Combating tax evasion connected with intra-Community transactions (common system of VAT) - Combating tax evasion connected with intra-Community transactions - European Court of Auditors' Special Report No 8/2007 concerning administrative cooperation in the Field of VAT (debate)
Combating tax evasion connected with intra-Community transactions (common system of VAT) - Combating tax evasion connected with intra-Community transactions - European Court of Auditors' Special Report No 8/2007 concerning administrative cooperation in the Field of VAT (debate)
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2007
Investigations conducted by the European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) (debate)
Explanations of vote
Response of the European Union to the deteriorating situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
EU-Russia relations (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Import of poultry carcases (debate)
Protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users (debate)
Autonomous Community tariff quotas on imports of certain fishery products into the Canary Islands (debate)
Explanations of vote
2006 Annual report of the EIB (debate)
2006 discharge (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
CAP ‘Health Check’ (debate)
Commission Question Time
Statistics on plant protection products (debate)
Statistics on plant protection products (debate)
Kosovo (debate)
Transparency in financial matters (debate)
Protection of the Communities’ financial interests – Fight against fraud – Annual reports 2005 and 2006 (debate)
Protection of the Communities’ financial interests – Fight against fraud – Annual reports 2005 and 2006 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2006 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Question Time (Commission)
EU-Russia Summit (debate)
Commission Question Time
Combating cigarette smuggling (EC-Philip Morris agreement) (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
EU-Russia summit (vote)
Explanations of vote
EU-Russia summit (debate)
Explanations of vote
Discharge for the financial year 2005 (debate)
Discharge for the financial year 2005 (debate)
Discharge for the financial year 2005 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Council Question Time
Council Question Time
Explanations of vote
Seventh and eighth annual reports on arms exports (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Presentation of the Court of Auditors’ Annual Report – 2005 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
2004 discharge: Section I - European Parliament (debate)
Explanations of vote
EU preparation for its future role in Kosovo (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Commission Question Time
Protection of the Communities' financial interests (debate)
Pandemic influenza preparedness and response planning in the European Community (debate)
Pandemic influenza preparedness and response planning in the European Community (debate)
Question Time (Commission)
Debate on the future of Europe with the participation of the Belgian Prime Minister, Member of the European Council (debate)
Explanations of vote
Commission Question Time
Rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (debate)
2004 discharge: Section I - European Parliament (vote)
Discharges for the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2004 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Commission Question Time
Explanations of vote
Council Question Time
National management declarations – Responsibilities of the Member States of in executing the EU budget
Chechnya after the elections and civil society in Russia
Market access to port services
Human rights in Russia
Explanations of vote
Presentation of the Court of Auditors’ annual report – 2004
Commission Question Time
Commission Question Time
Council Question Time
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Commission)
Situation in Uzbekistan
Agreement Commission – Member States/Philip Morris to combat fraud
Question Time (Commission)
Protecting the Community's financial interests and fight against fraud
EU–Russia Relations
Small arms (UN prepcom)
Question Time (Commission)
Budgetary discharge
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Council)
Question Time (Commission)
Explanations of vote
Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 (continuation)
Explanations of vote
Constitution for Europe (continuation)
Question Time (Commission)
Question Time (Commission)
Annual report of the Court of Auditors – 2003
EU-Russia Summit
Arms sales
Question Time (Commission)
Seizure of hostages and massacre in Beslan and the fight against terrorism
Question Time (Commission)
Shipments of waste (debate)
Shipments of waste (debate)
Introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at European Union airports (A7-0274/2014 - Jörg Leichtfried)
Posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services (A7-0249/2013 - Danuta Jazłowiecka)
Reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags (A7-0174/2014 - Margrete Auken)
Invasive alien species (A7-0088/2014 - Pavel Poc)
Food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health, plant reproductive material and plant protection products (A7-0162/2014 - Mario Pirillo) (vote)
Order of business
Food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health, plant reproductive material and plant protection products - Animal health - Protective measures against pests of plants (debate)
2012 discharge: European Parliament (A7-0246/2014 - Cătălin Sorin Ivan) (vote)
2012 discharge: European Parliament (A7-0246/2014 - Cătălin Sorin Ivan) (vote)
European Investment Bank annual report 2012 (debate)
Production and making available on the market of plant reproductive material (plant reproductive material law) (debate)
Common European sales law (A7-0301/2013 - Klaus-Heiner Lehne, Luigi Berlinguer)
Third programme for the Union's action if the field of health (2014-2020) (A7-0224/2012 - Françoise Grossetête)
2020 target to reduce CO2 emissions from new passenger cars (A7-0151/2013 - Thomas Ulmer)
Conditions of entry and residence[nbsp ]of third-country nationals (A7-0377/2013 - Cecilia Wikström)
Conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of seasonal employment (A7-0428/2013 - Claude Moraes)
Compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights (A7-0020/2014 - Georges Bach)
Homophobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity (A7-0009/2014 - Ulrike Lunacek)
Local and regional consequences of the development of smart grids (A7-0019/2014 - Elisabeth Schroedter)
Tachographs and social legislation relating to road transport (A7-0471/2013 - Silvia-Adriana Ţicău)
CO2 emissions from new light commercial vehicles (A7-0168/2013 - Holger Krahmer)
Consumer programme 2014-2020 (A7-0214/2012 - Robert Rochefort)
Carbon capture and storage technology (A7-0430/2013 - Chris Davies)
Effective labour inspections as a strategy to improve working conditions (A7-0458/2013 - Jutta Steinruck)
Social protection for all, including self-employed workers (A7-0459/2013 - Vilija Blinkevičiūtė)
Plastic waste in the environment (A7-0453/2013 - Vittorio Prodi)
Honey (debate)
Hercule III programme and protection of the European Union's financial interests (debate)
Carbon capture and storage technology (debate)
EU donor coordination on development aid (A7-0393/2013 - Gay Mitchell)
Human rights in the world 2012 and EU policy on the matter (A7-0418/2013 - Eduard Kukan)
Credit agreements relating to residential property (A7-0202/2012 - Antolín Sánchez Presedo)
Timing of auctions of greenhouse gas allowances (A7-0046/2013 - Matthias Groote)
CARS 2020: towards a strong, competitive and sustainable European car industry (A7-0391/2013 - Franck Proust)
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (A7-0426/2013 - Edite Estrela)
Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2012 (debate)
Common provisions on European funds (A7-0274/2013 - Lambert van Nistelrooij, Constanze Angela Krehl)
Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges (A7-0340/2013 - Evelyn Regner, Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou)
Erasmus for all programme (A7-0405/2012 - Doris Pack)
Climate change conference (B7-0482/2013)
Konferencija o klimatskim promjenama (B7-0482/2013) HR
Misleading advertisement practices (A7-0311/2013 - Cornelis de Jong)
Croatian member of the Court of Auditors (debate)
Assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (A7-0277/2013 - Andrea Zanoni)
Budgetary constraints for regional and local authorities regarding the EU's Structural Funds (A7-0269/2013 - Erminia Mazzoni)
2011 discharge: European Council and Council (debate)
Access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization in the Union (A7-0263/2013 - Sandrine Bélier)
Fuel quality directive and renewable energy directive (A7-0279/2013 - Corinne Lepage)
Tackling youth unemployment: possible ways out (A7-0275/2013 - Joanna Katarzyna Skrzydlewska)
Staff Regulations of officials and Conditions of employment of other servants of the EU (A7-0156/2012 - Dagmar Roth-Behrendt)
Investigations conducted by the European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) (debate)
Investigations conducted by the European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) (debate)
Integrated internal control framework - Protection of the EU's financial interests - fight against fraud
Millennium development goals (A7-0165/2013 - Filip Kaczmarek)
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (A7-0144/2013 - Raül Romeva i Rueda)
Establishment of 'Eurodac' for the comparison of fingerprints (A7-0432/2012 - Monica Luisa Macovei)
Social housing in the European Union (A7-0155/2013 - Karima Delli)
Preparations for the European Council meeting (22 May 2013) - Fight against tax fraud, tax evasion and tax havens - Annual tax report: how to free the EU potential for economic growth (debate)
Adequate, safe and sustainable pensions (A7-0137/2013 - Ria Oomen-Ruijten)
2012 comprehensive monitoring report on Croatia (B7-0160/2013)
European integration process of Kosovo (B7-0089/2013)
2011 discharge: EU general budget, European Parliament (A7-0063/2013 - Eva Ortiz Vilella) (vote)
Timing of auctions of greenhouse gas allowances (A7-0046/2013 - Matthias Groote)
Groundhandling services at European Union airports (A7-0364/2012 - Artur Zasada)
2011 discharge
European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the annual growth survey 2013 (A7-0024/2013 - Veronica Lope Fontagné)
European Investment Bank - 2011 annual report (A7-0016/2013 - Mario Mauro)
Common fisheries policy (A7-0008/2013 - Ulrike Rodust)
Sound level of motor vehicles (A7-0435/2012 - Miroslav Ouzký)
Public finances in EMU - 2011 and 2012 (A7-0425/2012 - Alfredo Pallone)
Youth guarantee (B7-0007/2013)
Information and consultation of workers, anticipation and management of restructuring (A7-0390/2012 - Alejandro Cercas)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Presentation of the Court of Auditors’ annual report - 2011 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
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Cases of restructuring in the European car industry (debate)
Cases of restructuring in the European car industry (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Discharge 2010 (debate)
European Investment Bank - annual report 2010 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Outcome of the presidential elections in Russia (debate)
International Cocoa Agreement 2010 - Child labour in cocoa sector (debate)
Farm input supply chain - Imbalances in the food supply chain (debate)
Explanations of vote
European Maritime Safety Agency (debate)
Presentation of the Court of Auditors’ annual report - 2010 (debate)
2009 discharge: Council (debate)
Modernisation of public procurement (debate)
The future of VAT (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Possibility for Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs in their territory (debate)
Explanations of vote
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EHEC outbreak in the EU Member States (debate)
Statement by the President of the European Parliament’s delegation to the Conciliation Committee - Novel foods (continuation of debate)
Statement by the President of the European Parliament’s delegation to the Conciliation Committee - Novel foods (continuation of debate)
2009 discharge (debate)
2009 discharge (debate)
2009 discharge (continuation of debate)
Explanations of vote
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Protection of Communities' financial interests – fight against fraud (debate)
Protection of Communities' financial interests – fight against fraud (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
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Review of the Belgian Presidency of the Council (debate)
Explanations of vote
Consequences in the European Union of the dioxin animal feed incident (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
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Presentation of the Court of Auditors' annual report - 2009 (debate)
Amendment of Regulation (EC) No 663/2009 establishing a programme to aid economic recovery by granting Community financial assistance to projects in the field of energy (debate)
Sludge catastrophe in Hungary (debate)
EU action on oil exploration and extraction in Europe (debate)
Explanations of vote
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Products from cloned animals in the food chain (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
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Oil exploration and extraction - risks, liability and regulation (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Novel foods (debate)
Explanations of vote
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Amending budget no 1/2010: Section I - Parliament - Estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year 2011 - Section I - Parliament (debate)
Explanations of vote
Order of business
Voting time
2008 Discharge (debate)
2008 Discharge (debate)
2008 Discharge (debate)
Explanations of vote
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Key objectives for the Conference of the Parties to the CITES (debate)
GM/Opel: current developments (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Presentation of the Court of Auditors’ annual report - 2008 (debate)
Presentation of the Court of Auditors’ annual report - 2008 (debate)
Explanations of vote
Statistics on pesticides (A7-0063/2009, Bart Staes) (vote)
2007 discharge: EU general budget - Council (debate)
Explanations of vote
Restructuring of the European car industry, in particular the Opel case (debate)
Reports (58)
REPORT on the Union’s authorisation procedure for pesticides PDF (795 KB) DOC (108 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2016 PDF (282 KB) DOC (58 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union agencies for the financial year 2016: performance, financial management and control PDF (428 KB) DOC (75 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2016 PDF (290 KB) DOC (62 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of Eurojust for the financial year 2016 PDF (397 KB) DOC (73 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Οperational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice for the financial year 2016 PDF (425 KB) DOC (76 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police Office (Europol) for the financial year 2016 PDF (320 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) for the financial year 2016 PDF (331 KB) DOC (68 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (318 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2016 PDF (311 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (333 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (270 KB) DOC (51 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Securities and Markets Authority for the financial year 2016 PDF (314 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (before 1 July 2016: European Police College) (CEPOL) for the financial year 2016 PDF (322 KB) DOC (70 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for the financial year 2016 PDF (295 KB) DOC (59 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2016 PDF (314 KB) DOC (61 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2016 PDF (322 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (313 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority for the financial year 2016 PDF (320 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute for Gender Equality for the financial year 2016 PDF (310 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (328 KB) DOC (66 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2016 PDF (322 KB) DOC (71 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2016 PDF (316 KB) DOC (61 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2016 PDF (339 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European GNSS Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (370 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2016 PDF (307 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2016 PDF (313 KB) DOC (62 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railway Agency (now European Union Agency for Railways) for the financial year 2016 PDF (433 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (319 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators for the financial year 2016 PDF (284 KB) DOC (57 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications for the financial year 2016 PDF (288 KB) DOC (59 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2016 PDF (306 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2016 PDF (318 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2016 PDF (325 KB) DOC (64 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Section II – European Council and Council PDF (359 KB) DOC (57 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Section VI – European Economic and Social Committee PDF (364 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Section VII – Committee of the Regions PDF (363 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Section IX – European Data Protection Supervisor PDF (382 KB) DOC (66 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Section II – European Council and Council PDF (360 KB) DOC (58 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Juhan Parts as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (493 KB) DOC (61 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Rimantas Šadžius as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (566 KB) DOC (146 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Samo Jereb as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (809 KB) DOC (199 KB)
Report concerning discharge in respect of the imlementation of the general budget of the European Union for the 2001 financial year (Section I - European Parliament) - Committee on Budgetary Control DOC (192 KB)
Report I. concerning discharge to the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the 2000 financial year (C5-0126/2002 - 2001/2111(DEC)); 2. concerning discharge the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the 2000 financial year (C5-0127/02 - 2001/2112(DEC)); 3. concerning discharge for the European Agency for Reconstruction for the 2000 financial year (C5-0673/2001 - 2001/2238(DEC)) - Committee on Budgetary Control PDF (164 KB) DOC (98 KB)
PDF (53 KB) DOC (74 KB)
PDF (22 KB) DOC (49 KB)
PDF (25 KB) DOC (53 KB)
REPORT Recommendation for second reading on the Council common position for adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning statistics on plant protection products PDF (196 KB) DOC (292 KB)
REPORT Report on the European Court of Auditors' Special Report No 8/2007 concerning administrative cooperation in the Field of value added tax PDF (188 KB) DOC (107 KB)
REPORT Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning statistics on plant protection products PDF (237 KB) DOC (257 KB)
REPORT Report on the implications of the agreement between the Community and the Member States with Philip Morris on intensifying the fight against fraud and cigarette smuggling and progress made in implementing the recommendations of Parliament's Committee of Inquiry into the Community Tansit System PDF (192 KB) DOC (146 KB)
REPORT Report on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2005, Section I - European Parliament PDF (253 KB) DOC (232 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 on shipment of waste PDF (324 KB) DOC (398 KB)
REPORT concerning Special Report No 13/2011 of the Court of Auditors entitled 'Does the control of customs procedure 42 prevent and detect VAT evasion?' PDF (154 KB) DOC (89 KB)
REPORT on Special Report No 1/2012 (2011 discharge): 'Effectiveness of European Union development aid for food security in sub-Saharan Africa' PDF (155 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth European Development Funds for the financial year 2009 PDF (250 KB) DOC (190 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2008, Section I - European Parliament PDF (323 KB) DOC (372 KB)
REPORT Report on the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning statistics on pesticides PDF (156 KB) DOC (94 KB)
Shadow reports (304)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railway Agency (ERA) (now European Union Agency for Railways) for the financial year 2017 PDF (191 KB) DOC (68 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of Eurojust for the financial year 2017 PDF (184 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) (before 1 May 2017: European Police Office) for the financial year 2017 PDF (187 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) for the financial year 2017 PDF (195 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) for the financial year 2017 PDF (172 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) for the financial year 2017 PDF (186 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Οperational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (now European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice) (eu-LISA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (194 KB) DOC (70 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) for the financial year 2017 PDF (185 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) for the financial year2017 PDF (175 KB) DOC (55 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (185 KB) DOC (67 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union agencies for the financial year 2017: performance, financial management and control PDF (203 KB) DOC (75 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (183 KB) DOC (58 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (184 KB) DOC (63 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (186 KB) DOC (68 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (185 KB) DOC (61 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (187 KB) DOC (70 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) for the financial year 2017 PDF (183 KB) DOC (66 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (179 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (165 KB) DOC (57 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation (ETF) for the financial year 2017 PDF (182 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (189 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (172 KB) DOC (62 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (184 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency (EEA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (191 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (191 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Banking Authority (EBA) for the financial year 2017 PDF (187 KB) DOC (67 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT) for the financial year 2017 PDF (182 KB) DOC (67 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) for the financial year 2017 PDF (184 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2017 PDF (190 KB) DOC (66 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2017 PDF (184 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) for the financial year 2017 PDF (171 KB) DOC (61 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators for the financial year 2017 PDF (171 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2017, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (448 KB) DOC (187 KB)
REPORT on the Court of Auditors’ special reports in the context of the 2017 Commission discharge PDF (307 KB) DOC (111 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the Union's budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States PDF (1 MB) DOC (182 KB)
REPORT on assessing how the EU budget is used for public sector reform PDF (360 KB) DOC (56 KB)
REPORT on control of spending and monitoring of EU Youth Guarantee schemes’ cost-effectiveness PDF (494 KB) DOC (90 KB)
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law PDF (462 KB) DOC (60 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and amending Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, EU No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1305/2013, (EU) No 1306/2013, (EU) No 1307/2013, (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, (EU) No 652/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Decision No 541/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (3 MB) DOC (682 KB)
REPORT on the Court of Auditors’ special reports in the context of the 2015 Commission discharge PDF (835 KB) DOC (127 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2015, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (1 MB) DOC (203 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013, as regards the secretariat of the Supervisory Committee of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) PDF (445 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2014, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (1 MB) DOC (647 KB)
REPORT on the Court of Auditors’ special reports in the context of the 2014 Commission discharge PDF (708 KB) DOC (208 KB)
REPORT on the European Investment Bank (EIB) – Annual Report 2014 PDF (481 KB) DOC (184 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 as regards the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the use of genetically modified food and feed on their territory PDF (176 KB) DOC (95 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the cloning of animals of the bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine and equine species kept and reproduced for farming purposes PDF (637 KB) DOC (463 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (483 KB) DOC (523 KB)
REPORT on the Court of Auditors' special reports in the context of the 2013 Commission discharge PDF (280 KB) DOC (213 KB)
PDF (1 MB) DOC (928 KB)
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2001/18/EC as regards the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their territory PDF (674 KB) DOC (411 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section I – European Parliament PDF (327 KB) DOC (225 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (664 KB) DOC (374 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2012 PDF (188 KB) DOC (95 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union agencies for the financial year 2012: performance, financial management and control PDF (241 KB) DOC (123 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (177 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for the financial year 2012 PDF (165 KB) DOC (76 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (180 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority for the financial year 2012 PDF (183 KB) DOC (87 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Securities and Markets Authority for the financial year 2012 PDF (180 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute for Gender Equality for the financial year 2012 PDF (181 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (182 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section IX – European Data Protection Supervisor PDF (156 KB) DOC (70 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (183 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section VII – Committee of the Regions PDF (144 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section VIII – European Ombudsman PDF (138 KB) DOC (64 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2012 PDF (181 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European GNSS Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (158 KB) DOC (71 KB)
REPORT on the Court of Auditors' special reports in the context of the 2012 Commission discharge PDF (440 KB) DOC (228 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (177 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2012 PDF (178 KB) DOC (84 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2012 PDF (189 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section VI – European Economic and Social Committee PDF (141 KB) DOC (65 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section IV – Court of Justice PDF (155 KB) DOC (75 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section V – Court of Auditors PDF (145 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2012 PDF (175 KB) DOC (82 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railway Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (176 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators for the financial year 2012 PDF (165 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2012 PDF (181 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications for the financial year 2012 PDF (166 KB) DOC (78 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2012 PDF (156 KB) DOC (70 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the ENIAC Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2012 PDF (185 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Artemis Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2012 PDF (184 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2012 PDF (174 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2012 PDF (175 KB) DOC (80 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section X – European External Action Service PDF (194 KB) DOC (93 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2012 PDF (181 KB) DOC (76 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the SESAR Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2012 PDF (192 KB) DOC (90 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (177 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT on the Annual Report 2012 on the Protection of the EU’s Financial Interests – Fight against fraud PDF (213 KB) DOC (106 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Network and Information Security Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (165 KB) DOC (73 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2012 PDF (175 KB) DOC (81 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2012, Section II – European Council and Council PDF (165 KB) DOC (75 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2012 PDF (173 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of Eurojust for the financial year 2012 PDF (174 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2012 PDF (182 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2012 PDF (177 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2012 PDF (175 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2012 PDF (179 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union for the financial year 2012 PDF (182 KB) DOC (90 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2012 PDF (152 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police Office for the financial year 2012 PDF (175 KB) DOC (84 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget for the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth European Development Funds for the financial year 2012 PDF (262 KB) DOC (132 KB)
REPORT on: Are tools in place to monitor the effectiveness of European Social Fund spending on older workers? (Court of Auditors Special Report 25/2012) PDF (181 KB) DOC (97 KB)
REPORT on the European Investment Bank (EIB) – Annual Report 2012 PDF (237 KB) DOC (128 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Oskar Herics as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (209 KB) DOC (103 KB)
REPORT on the evaluation of the Union’s finances based on the results achieved: a new tool for the European Commission’s improved discharge procedure PDF (193 KB) DOC (84 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Klaus Heiner Lehne as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (162 KB) DOC (72 KB)
REPORT on the future role of the Court of Auditors. The procedure on the appointment of Court of Auditors’ Members: European Parliament consultation PDF (191 KB) DOC (95 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation PDF (1 MB) DOC (885 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey PDF (241 KB) DOC (315 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Henri Grethen as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (136 KB) DOC (70 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Phil Wynn Owen as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (221 KB) DOC (111 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Danièle Lamarque as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (272 KB) DOC (144 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Nikolaos Milionis as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (199 KB) DOC (106 KB)
REPORT on the food crisis, fraud in the food chain and the control thereof PDF (239 KB) DOC (125 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Alex Brenninkmeijer as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (187 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT on budgetary management of European Union pre-accession funds in the areas of judicial systems and the fight against corruption in the candidate and potential candidate countries PDF (263 KB) DOC (166 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section II – European Council and Council PDF (164 KB) DOC (78 KB)
REPORT on local authorities and civil society: Europe’s engagement in support of sustainable development PDF (186 KB) DOC (90 KB)
REPORT on ‘Towards more efficient and cost effective interpretation in the European Parliament’ PDF (191 KB) DOC (142 KB)
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the position of the Council at first reading with a view to the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999 PDF (159 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on the Integrated Internal Control Framework PDF (205 KB) DOC (105 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union agencies for the financial year 2011: performance, financial management and control PDF (242 KB) DOC (165 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2011, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (698 KB) DOC (568 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Securities and Markets Authority for the financial year 2011 PDF (185 KB) DOC (109 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority for the financial year 2011 PDF (185 KB) DOC (107 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2011 PDF (182 KB) DOC (106 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Community European Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (178 KB) DOC (101 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for the financial year 2011 PDF (163 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the ENIAC Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2011 PDF (166 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (132 KB) DOC (71 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railway Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (172 KB) DOC (94 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2011 PDF (166 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the SESAR Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2011 PDF (167 KB) DOC (90 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Network and Information Security Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (154 KB) DOC (80 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section X – European External Action Service PDF (189 KB) DOC (114 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (191 KB) DOC (107 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (182 KB) DOC (101 KB)
REPORT on the Court of Auditors' special reports in the context of the 2011 Commission discharge PDF (424 KB) DOC (256 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section IX – European Data Protection Supervisor PDF (144 KB) DOC (81 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section VIII – European Ombudsman PDF (132 KB) DOC (81 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section VII – Committee of the Regions PDF (132 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section V – Court of Auditors PDF (142 KB) DOC (74 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section IV – Court of Justice PDF (155 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2011 PDF (167 KB) DOC (85 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2011 PDF (164 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2011 PDF (161 KB) DOC (84 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2011 PDF (164 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2011 PDF (162 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police Office for the financial year 2011 PDF (176 KB) DOC (101 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2011 PDF (178 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute for Gender Equality for the financial year 2011 PDF (178 KB) DOC (102 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2011 PDF (176 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union for the financial year 2011 PDF (171 KB) DOC (90 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (164 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2011 PDF (171 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section VI – European Economic and Social Committee PDF (144 KB) DOC (77 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (184 KB) DOC (106 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2011 PDF (186 KB) DOC (106 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2011 PDF (177 KB) DOC (94 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of Eurojust for the financial year 2011 PDF (178 KB) DOC (101 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2011 PDF (175 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (175 KB) DOC (97 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2011 PDF (158 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators for the financial year 2011 PDF (151 KB) DOC (75 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2011 PDF (166 KB) DOC (90 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications for the financial year 2011 PDF (150 KB) DOC (76 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European GNSS Agency for the financial year 2011 PDF (154 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2011 PDF (186 KB) DOC (114 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2011, Section I – European Parliament PDF (288 KB) DOC (278 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth European Development Funds for the financial year 2011 PDF (256 KB) DOC (162 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section II – European Council and Council PDF (142 KB) DOC (89 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 1999/4/EC, 2000/36/EC, 2001/111/EC, 2001/113/EC and 2001/114/EC as regards the powers to be conferred on the Commission PDF (202 KB) DOC (198 KB)
REPORT on Special Report No 6/2012 (discharge 2011) - 'European Union Assistance to the Turkish Cypriot Community', (pursuant to Article 287(4), second subparagraph, TFEU) PDF (198 KB) DOC (128 KB)
REPORT on Special Report No 7/2012 (2011 discharge): 'The reform of the common organisation of the market in wine: Progress to date' PDF (147 KB) DOC (71 KB)
REPORT on Special Report No 5/2012 (Discharge 2011) - ‘The Common External Relations Information System (CRIS)’ PDF (156 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT on the Microbial Challenge – Rising threats from Antimicrobial Resistance PDF (224 KB) DOC (156 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (184 KB) DOC (105 KB)
REPORT concerning Special Report No 2/2012 of the Court of Auditors entitled 'Financial instruments for SMEs co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund' PDF (185 KB) DOC (103 KB)
SECOND REPORT on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section II – Council PDF (163 KB) DOC (98 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2010 PDF (179 KB) DOC (94 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (181 KB) DOC (97 KB)
REPORT on the nomination of Leonard Orban as a Member of the Court of Auditors PDF (218 KB) DOC (118 KB)
REPORT on Special Report No 3/2012 (Discharge 2011) - Structural Funds - Did the Commission successfully deal with deficiencies identified in the Member States' management and control systems? PDF (148 KB) DOC (73 KB)
REPORT with observations, in the context of the 2011 Commission discharge, concerning the Special Report No 14/2011 of the Court of Auditors entitled: "Has EU assistance improved Croatia's capacity to manage post-accession funding?" PDF (159 KB) DOC (93 KB)
REPORT on Special report No 12/2011 (2011 discharge): 'Have EU measures contributed to adapting the capacity of the fishing fleets to available fishing opportunities?' PDF (167 KB) DOC (100 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States PDF (153 KB) DOC (198 KB)
REPORT on the amended proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 as regards electronic identification of bovine animals and deleting the provisions on voluntary beef labelling PDF (328 KB) DOC (455 KB)
REPORT on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section II – Council PDF (146 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (184 KB) DOC (116 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European GNSS Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (174 KB) DOC (115 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (133 KB) DOC (84 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Network and Information Security Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (174 KB) DOC (107 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2010 PDF (178 KB) DOC (110 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2010 PDF (182 KB) DOC (111 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union for the financial year 2010 PDF (192 KB) DOC (114 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Institute for Gender Equality for the financial year 2010 PDF (170 KB) DOC (102 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Community Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (177 KB) DOC (123 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2010 PDF (180 KB) DOC (116 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of Eurojust for the financial year 2010 PDF (196 KB) DOC (138 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (192 KB) DOC (125 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2010 PDF (168 KB) DOC (118 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (193 KB) DOC (126 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2010 PDF (181 KB) DOC (119 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2010 PDF (177 KB) DOC (113 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2010, Section I – European Parliament PDF (308 KB) DOC (338 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2010 PDF (219 KB) DOC (155 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railway Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (192 KB) DOC (125 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2010 PDF (173 KB) DOC (111 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2010 PDF (190 KB) DOC (125 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2010 PDF (171 KB) DOC (98 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the SESAR Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2010 PDF (181 KB) DOC (108 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2010 PDF (172 KB) DOC (95 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the ENIAC Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2010 PDF (182 KB) DOC (108 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police Office for the financial year 2010 PDF (164 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2010 PDF (166 KB) DOC (101 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2010 PDF (172 KB) DOC (94 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2010 PDF (174 KB) DOC (107 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (219 KB) DOC (147 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2010 PDF (208 KB) DOC (150 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2010 PDF (194 KB) DOC (119 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agencies for the financial year 2010: performance, financial management and control of European Union Agencies PDF (259 KB) DOC (205 KB)
REPORT on the Court of Auditors' special reports in the context of the 2010 Commission discharge PDF (291 KB) DOC (170 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth European Development Funds for the financial year 2010 PDF (278 KB) DOC (176 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2010, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (684 KB) DOC (542 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section IX – European Data Protection Supervisor PDF (142 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section VI – European Economic and Social Committee PDF (139 KB) DOC (66 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section V – Court of Auditors PDF (129 KB) DOC (69 KB)
REPORT on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section VII – Committee of the Regions PDF (137 KB) DOC (68 KB)
REPORT on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section VIII – European Ombudsman PDF (127 KB) DOC (59 KB)
REPORT on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2010, Section IV – Court of Justice PDF (144 KB) DOC (94 KB)
REPORT on the impact of devolution of the Commission’s management of external assistance from its headquarters to its delegations on aid delivery PDF (180 KB) DOC (105 KB)
REPORT on the budgetary control of EU humanitarian aid managed by ECHO PDF (230 KB) DOC (149 KB)
REPORT on budgetary control of EU financial assistance to Afghanistan PDF (249 KB) DOC (159 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2009 PDF (177 KB) DOC (104 KB)
SECOND REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (164 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2001/18/EC as regards the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs in their territory PDF (442 KB) DOC (502 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (199 KB) DOC (124 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2009 PDF (206 KB) DOC (147 KB)
REPORT on the 2009 discharge: performance, financial management and control of EU agencies PDF (193 KB) DOC (135 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2009 PDF (166 KB) DOC (99 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX) for the financial year 2009 PDF (176 KB) DOC (101 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (133 KB) DOC (82 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2009, Section III – Commission and executive agencies PDF (638 KB) DOC (458 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section VII – Committee of the Regions PDF (132 KB) DOC (71 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section V – Court of Auditors PDF (147 KB) DOC (78 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section IV – Court of Justice PDF (132 KB) DOC (73 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section VI – European Economic and Social Committee PDF (133 KB) DOC (81 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of Eurojust for the financial year 2009 PDF (163 KB) DOC (93 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (163 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2009 PDF (148 KB) DOC (80 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2009 PDF (153 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Joint Undertaking for the implementation of the Joint Technology Initiative on Innovative Medicines for the financial year 2009 PDF (148 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2009 PDF (145 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (166 KB) DOC (97 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2009 PDF (147 KB) DOC (75 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railway Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (170 KB) DOC (98 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the SESAR Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2009 PDF (166 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (166 KB) DOC (98 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (166 KB) DOC (97 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2009 PDF (162 KB) DOC (89 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2009 PDF (151 KB) DOC (81 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Community Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (154 KB) DOC (87 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section IX – European Data Protection Supervisor PDF (131 KB) DOC (74 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section VIII – European Ombudsman PDF (129 KB) DOC (77 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2009 PDF (165 KB) DOC (98 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2009 PDF (166 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2009 PDF (164 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2009 PDF (158 KB) DOC (92 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Network and Information Security Agency for the financial year 2009 PDF (156 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2009 PDF (161 KB) DOC (99 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European GNSS Supervisory Authority for the financial year 2009 PDF (148 KB) DOC (77 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section I – European Parliament PDF (323 KB) DOC (322 KB)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2009, Section II – Council PDF (174 KB) DOC (102 KB)
REPORT Second Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2008 PDF (172 KB) DOC (95 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Community Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (145 KB) DOC (78 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2008 PDF (166 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2008, Section III - Commission and executive agencies PDF (765 KB) DOC (595 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2008 PDF (150 KB) DOC (79 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Eurojust for the financial year 2008 PDF (161 KB) DOC (93 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (160 KB) DOC (88 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2008 PDF (159 KB) DOC (87 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2008 PDF (155 KB) DOC (86 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Chemicals Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (163 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2008 PDF (168 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Network and Information Security Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (147 KB) DOC (78 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2008 PDF (169 KB) DOC (99 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for the Management of Operational ooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX) for the financial year 2008 PDF (180 KB) DOC (103 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Railway Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (155 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2008 PDF (166 KB) DOC (89 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (159 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (161 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the SESAR Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2008 PDF (161 KB) DOC (90 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (131 KB) DOC (71 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2008 PDF (194 KB) DOC (111 KB)
REPORT Report on the 2008 discharge: performance, financial management and control of EU agencies PDF (156 KB) DOC (83 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European GNSS Supervisory Authority for the financial year 2008 PDF (146 KB) DOC (75 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Reconstruction for the financial year 2008 PDF (140 KB) DOC (76 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementatin of the budget of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2008 PDF (160 KB) DOC (78 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2008 PDF (160 KB) DOC (89 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation ofthe budget of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2008 PDF (166 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT Report on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2008 PDF (155 KB) DOC (91 KB)
REPORT Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation and Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 on establishing a financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide PDF (185 KB) DOC (228 KB)
Opinions (14)
OPINION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada, of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the other part
OPINION on recommendations to the European Commission on the negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)
OPINION on Protection of the Communities' financial interests - Fight against fraud - Annual report 2007
OPINION Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community programme to improve the operation of taxation systems in the internal market (Fiscalis 2013)
OPINION Draft opinion on the own initiative report on "The future of the European Union´s own resources"
OPINION on Fight against Tax Fraud, Tax Evasion and Tax Havens
OPINION on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of a Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Central African Republic on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and derived products to the European Union (FLEGT)
OPINION on the European Investment Bank (EIB) – Annual Report 2010
OPINION on modernisation of customs
OPINION on the future of VAT
OPINION on modernisation of public procurement
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 establishing a European Maritime Safety Agency
OPINION on the future of EU budget support to developing countries
OPINION Proposal for a Council decision on the application of certain guidelines in the field of officially supported export credits
Shadow opinions (30)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Fund for Strategic Investments and amending Regulations (EU) No 1291/2013 and (EU) No 1316/2013
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the zootechnical and genealogical conditions for trade in and imports into the Union of breeding animals and their germinal products
OPINION on the proposal for a Council regulation on the ECSEL Joint Undertaking
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Union Agency for Railways and repealing Regulation (EC) No 881/2004
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community
OPINION on the proposal for a Council directive amending Directive 2011/16/EU as regards mandatory automatic exchange of information in the field of taxation
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation and Training (Europol) and repealing Decisions 2009/371/JHA and 2005/681/JHA
OPINION on the General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2014 – all sections
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 912/2010 setting up the European GNSS Agency
OPINION on the Council position on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2014 - all sections
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived
OPINION on discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2011, Section III - Commission
OPINION on the European Investment Bank - Annual Report 2011
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy
OPINION Interim report in the interests of achieving a positive outcome of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 approval procedure (2011/0177(APP))
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on safety of offshore oil and gas prospection, exploration and production activities
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy
OPINION on the General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013 - all sections
OPINION on the proposal for a Council regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing common rules and procedures for the implementation of the Union's instruments for external action
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on insider dealing and market manipulation (market abuse)
OPINION on budgetary control of EU financial assistance to Afghanistan
OPINION on the state of implementation of the EU Strategy for Central Asia
OPINION on the mandate for the trialogue on the 2012 draft budget
OPINION on the ECA special reports in the context of the 2009 Commission discharge
OPINION Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers
OPINION on the mandate for the trialogue on the 2011 draft budget
OPINION on a new strategy in Afghanistan
OPINION Proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1934/2006 establishing a financing instrument for cooperation with industrialised and other high-income countries and territories
Institutional motions (168)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Cameroon PDF (151 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Brunei PDF (146 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize 1507 × NK603 (DAS-Ø15Ø7-1 × MON-ØØ6Ø3-6) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (160 KB) DOC (61 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87751 (MON-87751-7), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (172 KB) DOC (79 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Guatemala PDF (155 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Nicaragua PDF (137 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize Bt11 × MIR162 × 1507 × GA21 and sub-combinations Bt11 × MIR162 × 1507, MIR162 × 1507 × GA21 and MIR162 × 1507 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (171 KB) DOC (77 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize 4114 (DP-ØØ4114-3), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (164 KB) DOC (76 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87411 (MON-87411-9), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (167 KB) DOC (76 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the future of the INF Treaty and the impact on the European Union PDF (153 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Zimbabwe PDF (146 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION seeking an opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposed Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco, the Implementation Protocol thereto and an exchange of letters accompanying the said Agreement PDF (153 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the need for a strengthened post-2020 Strategic EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies and stepping up the fight against anti-Gypsyism PDF (152 KB) DOC (51 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB614 × LLCotton25 × MON 15985 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (172 KB) DOC (60 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87403 (MON-874Ø3-1), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (168 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize 5307 (SYN-Ø53Ø7-1), pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (153 KB) DOC (51 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision amending Implementing Decision 2013/327/EU as regards the renewal of the authorisation to place on the market feed containing or consisting of genetically modified oilseed rapes Ms8, Rf3 and Ms8 × Rf3 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (153 KB) DOC (76 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan PDF (147 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the closure of the accounts of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2016 PDF (126 KB) DOC (46 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION seeking an opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposed agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco on the amendment of Protocols 1 and 4 to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part PDF (151 KB) DOC (53 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on conflicts of interest and the protection of the EU budget in the Czech Republic PDF (272 KB) DOC (50 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on conflicts of interest and the protection of the EU budget in the Czech Republic PDF (177 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Tanzania PDF (376 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × 1507 × MON 88017 × 59122, and genetically modified maize combining two, three or four of the single events MON 87427, MON 89034, 1507, MON 88017 and 59122 and repealing Decision 2011/366/EU PDF (177 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 × MON 810 (MON-ØØ6Ø3-6 × MON-ØØ81Ø-6) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (163 KB) DOC (69 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on animal welfare, antimicrobial use and the environmental impact of industrial broiler farming PDF (289 KB) DOC (56 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the threat of demolition of Khan al-Ahmar and other Bedouin villages PDF (263 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Somalia PDF (271 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan, notably the situation of Noura Hussein Hammad PDF (344 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize 1507 × 59122 × MON 810 × NK603, and genetically modified maize combining two or three of the single events 1507, 59122, MON 810 and NK603, and repealing Decisions 2009/815/EC, 2010/428/EU and 2010/432/EU pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (291 KB) DOC (55 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize GA21 (MON-ØØØ21-9) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (373 KB) DOC (56 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of food and feed produced from genetically modified sugar beet H7-1 (KM-ØØØH71-4) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (292 KB) DOC (77 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in the Gaza Strip PDF (152 KB) DOC (50 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in the Gaza strip PDF (350 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the arrest of human rights defenders in Sudan, notably the case of Sakharov Prize laureate Salih Mahmoud Osman PDF (353 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Syria PDF (278 KB) DOC (59 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize MON 87427 × MON 89034 × NK603 (MON-87427-7 × MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-ØØ6Ø3-6 and genetically modified maize combining two of the events MON 87427, MON 89034 and NK603, and repealing Decision 2010/420/EU PDF (204 KB) DOC (75 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize 59122 (DAS-59122-7) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (193 KB) DOC (50 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on executions in Egypt PDF (292 KB) DOC (53 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on child slavery in Haiti PDF (154 KB) DOC (55 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of UNRWA PDF (270 KB) DOC (48 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on child slavery in Haiti PDF (254 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of UNRWA PDF (267 KB) DOC (55 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Democratic Republic of the Congo PDF (161 KB) DOC (58 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Nigeria PDF (285 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Democratic Republic of the Congo PDF (276 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION Nigeria PDF (297 KB) DOC (56 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission regulation amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the use of phosphoric acid – phosphates – di – tri – and polyphosphates (E 338-452) in frozen vertical meat spits PDF (261 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Madagascar PDF (353 KB) DOC (55 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan, notably the case of Mohamed Zine El Abidine PDF (347 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Terrorist attacks in Somalia PDF (301 KB) DOC (58 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU PDF (309 KB) DOC (61 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified soybean 305423 x 40-3-2 (DP-3Ø5423-1 × MON-Ø4Ø32-6) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (155 KB) DOC (59 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified oilseed rapes MON 88302 x Ms8 x Rf3 (MON-883Ø2-9 × ACSBNØØ5-8 × ACS-BNØØ3-6), MON 88302 x Ms8 (MON-883Ø2-9 × ACSBNØØ5-8) and MON 88302 x Rf3 (MON-883Ø2-9 × ACS-BNØØ3-6) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (160 KB) DOC (73 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize 1507 (DAS-Ø15Ø7-1) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (157 KB) DOC (76 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the cases of Crimean Tatar leaders Akhtem Chiygoz, Ilmi Umerov and the journalist Mykola Semena PDF (284 KB) DOC (53 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of persons with albinism in Africa, notably in Malawi PDF (287 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the cases of Crimean Tatar leaders Akhtem Chiygoz and Ilmi Umerov and journalist Mykola Semena PDF (268 KB) DOC (51 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of people with albinism in Malawi and other African countries PDF (269 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified soybean DAS-44406-6, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (154 KB) DOC (59 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified soybean FG72 x A5547-127 pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (148 KB) DOC (75 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Myanmar, in particular the situation of Rohingyas PDF (153 KB) DOC (55 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Gabon: repression of the opposition PDF (162 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Myanmar, in particular the situation of Rohingyas PDF (371 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Gabon: repression of the opposition PDF (269 KB) DOC (51 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified soybean DAS-68416-4, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (155 KB) DOC (54 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Burundi PDF (156 KB) DOC (55 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Eritrea, notably the cases of Abune Antonios and Dawit Isaak PDF (169 KB) DOC (63 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Burundi PDF (278 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Eritrea, notably the cases of Abune Antonios and Dawit Isaak PDF (298 KB) DOC (59 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo PDF (264 KB) DOC (47 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Ethiopia, notably the case of Dr Merera Gudina PDF (163 KB) DOC (53 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Zambia, particularly the case of Hakainde Hichilema PDF (153 KB) DOC (55 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on South Sudan PDF (164 KB) DOC (56 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on achieving the two-state solution in the Middle East PDF (286 KB) DOC (49 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Dadaab refugee camp PDF (159 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Ethiopia, notably the case of Dr. Merera Gudina PDF (278 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Zambia, particularly the case of Hakainde Hichilema PDF (346 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on South Sudan PDF (203 KB) DOC (51 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on achieving the two-state solution in the Middle East PDF (274 KB) DOC (57 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on making relocation happen PDF (275 KB) DOC (55 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB119 (BCS-GHØØ5-8) pursuant to Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (145 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize DAS-40278-9, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (145 KB) DOC (50 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize Bt11 × 59122 × MIR604 × 1507 × GA21, and genetically modified maizes combining two, three or four of the events Bt11, 59122, MIR604, 1507 and GA21, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed PDF (289 KB) DOC (60 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the conclusion of the EU-Canada CETA PDF (271 KB) DOC (57 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on low-risk pesticides of biological origin PDF (160 KB) DOC (57 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Burundi PDF (152 KB) DOC (56 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Burundi PDF (442 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Central African Republic PDF (288 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on support for the thalidomide survivors PDF (359 KB) DOC (57 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo PDF (267 KB) DOC (50 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on EU-Turkey relations PDF (275 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on EU-Turkey relations PDF (253 KB) DOC (61 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of the Guarani Kaiowa people in Brazil PDF (391 KB) DOC (51 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Syria PDF (261 KB) DOC (72 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on nuclear security and non-proliferation PDF (192 KB) DOC (78 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan PDF (167 KB) DOC (89 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Rwanda, the case of Victoire Ingabire PDF (291 KB) DOC (83 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the need for a European reindustrialisation policy in light of the recent Caterpillar and Alstom cases PDF (374 KB) DOC (105 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified cotton 281-24-236 × 3006-210-23 × MON 88913 (DAS-24236-5×DAS-21Ø23-5×MON-88913-8) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (358 KB) DOC (49 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision renewing the authorisation for the placing on the market for cultivation of genetically modified maize MON 810 (MON-ØØ81Ø-6) seeds PDF (271 KB) DOC (56 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation of genetically modified maize 1507 (DAS-Ø15Ø7-1) seeds PDF (268 KB) DOC (72 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision authorising the placing on the market of genetically modified maize MON 810 (MON-ØØ81Ø-6) products pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (263 KB) DOC (70 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the draft Commission implementing decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation of genetically modified maize Bt11 (SYN-BTØ11-1) seeds PDF (268 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Rwanda, notably the case of Victoire Ingabire PDF (176 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan PDF (353 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and Eurojust PDF (269 KB) DOC (74 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the need for a European reindustrialisation policy in light of the recent Caterpillar and Alstom cases PDF (204 KB) DOC (89 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Zimbabwe PDF (289 KB) DOC (80 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Somalia PDF (295 KB) DOC (91 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Zimbabwe PDF (388 KB) DOC (52 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Somalia PDF (361 KB) DOC (53 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of people with albinism in Africa, notably in Malawi PDF (162 KB) DOC (86 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Japan’s decision to resume whaling in the 2015-2016 season PDF (275 KB) DOC (75 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of albinos in Africa, notably in Malawi PDF (259 KB) DOC (68 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Djibouti PDF (176 KB) DOC (93 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on The Gambia PDF (163 KB) DOC (88 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Djibouti PDF (352 KB) DOC (74 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on The Gambia PDF (282 KB) DOC (72 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Nigeria PDF (167 KB) DOC (91 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Nigeria PDF (291 KB) DOC (79 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Democratic Republic of the Congo PDF (164 KB) DOC (88 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the tobacco agreement (PMI agreement) PDF (267 KB) DOC (71 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Democratic Republic of Congo PDF (277 KB) DOC (79 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Ethiopia PDF (166 KB) DOC (91 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Ethiopia PDF (265 KB) DOC (72 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the implementation of Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union PDF (265 KB) DOC (63 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/2279 of 4 December 2015 authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize NK603 × T25 (MON-ØØ6Ø3-6 × ACS-ZMØØ3-2) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council PDF (173 KB) DOC (70 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on a new animal welfare strategy for 2016-2020 PDF (192 KB) DOC (83 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on emission measurements in the automotive sector PDF (204 KB) DOC (86 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Central African Republic PDF (170 KB) DOC (97 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the displacement of children in Northern Nigeria as a result of Boko Haram attacks PDF (153 KB) DOC (80 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Central African Republic PDF (155 KB) DOC (82 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Angola PDF (154 KB) DOC (84 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Angola PDF (146 KB) DOC (76 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the EU’s role in the Middle East peace process PDF (283 KB) DOC (86 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on migration and refugees in Europe PDF (196 KB) DOC (88 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Situation of two Christian pastors in Sudan PDF (134 KB) DOC (67 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, notably the cases of Yves Makwambala and Fred Bauma PDF (149 KB) DOC (70 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the OLAF Supervisory Committee’s annual report 2014 PDF (139 KB) DOC (72 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the OLAF Supervisory Committee’s annual report 2014 PDF (267 KB) DOC (73 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the List of Issues adopted by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in relation to the initial report of the European Union PDF (254 KB) DOC (72 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the case of Nadiya Savchenko PDF (136 KB) DOC (64 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria PDF (145 KB) DOC (70 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the case of Nadiya Savchenko PDF (129 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the killing of students in Kenya by Islamic terror group Al-Shabaab PDF (236 KB) DOC (61 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide PDF (127 KB) DOC (57 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide PDF (224 KB) DOC (54 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the murder of Boris Nemtsov and the state of democracy in Russia PDF (236 KB) DOC (63 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Burundi, notably the case of Bob Rugurika PDF (144 KB) DOC (57 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Saudi Arabia, the case of Mr Raif Badawi PDF (145 KB) DOC (67 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Russia, in particular the case of Alexei Navalny PDF (142 KB) DOC (72 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Russia, in particular the case of Alexey Navalny PDF (130 KB) DOC (56 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Egypt PDF (253 KB) DOC (77 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Commission delegated regulation of 19 August 2014 amending Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences PDF (238 KB) DOC (59 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on recognition of Palestinian statehood PDF (131 KB) DOC (63 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the humanitarian situation in South Sudan PDF (128 KB) DOC (67 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the closing-down of the NGO ‘Memorial’ (winner of the 2009 Sakharov Prize) in Russia PDF (146 KB) DOC (76 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Closing down of Memorial (Sakharov Prize 2009) in Russia PDF (137 KB) DOC (62 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the EU’s response to the Ebola outbreak PDF (141 KB) DOC (69 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Burundi, in particular the case of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa PDF (137 KB) DOC (64 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Israel-Palestine after the Gaza war and the role of the EU PDF (135 KB) DOC (68 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the EU response to the Ebola outbreak PDF (121 KB) DOC (53 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Burundi, notably the case of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa PDF (117 KB) DOC (52 KB)
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan – the case of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim PDF (138 KB) DOC (66 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine PDF (131 KB) DOC (66 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Nigeria, recent attacks by Boko Haram PDF (143 KB) DOC (70 KB)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Sudan, the case of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim PDF (134 KB) DOC (60 KB)
Oral questions (24)
Protecting the EU's internal market and consumer rights from the negative implications of the illegal trade in companion animals PDF (50 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Animal welfare rules in aquaculture PDF (96 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Severe violations in the transportation of animals to third countries PDF (107 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Animal welfare, antimicrobial use, and the environmental impact of industrial broiler farming PDF (198 KB) DOC (20 KB)
10th anniversary of the Horizontal Directive proposal PDF (197 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Animal welfare, antimicrobial use and the environmental impact of industrial broiler farming PDF (198 KB) DOC (20 KB)
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) PDF (196 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Refoulement of Turkish nationals by the Greek authorities PDF (106 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Glyphosate PDF (194 KB) DOC (18 KB)
An EU ban on the movement of wild circus animals PDF (98 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Major interpellation - Follow-up to the Brazilian meat imports scandal PDF (195 KB) DOC (17 KB)
EU ban on the movement of wild circus animals PDF (99 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Commission's answers to written questions PDF (205 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Accommodating foreign trade concerns regarding the new criteria for identifying endocrine disruptors PDF (195 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Biological low-risk pesticides PDF (103 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Cooperation agreement with Philip Morris International (PMI) PDF (195 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Tobacco agreement (PMI agreement) PDF (106 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Impunity of Francoist crimes in the Spanish state PDF (196 KB) DOC (27 KB)
OLAF Supervisory Committee's annual report 2014 PDF (102 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Tobacco agreements PDF DOC
Commission's answers to Written Questions PDF DOC
Criteria for identifying endocrine-disrupting chemicals PDF (196 KB) DOC (28 KB)
European measures to fight against organised crime and corruption PDF DOC
European measures to fight against organised crime and corruption PDF DOC
Written explanations (73)
Establishing Horizon Europe – laying down its rules for participation and dissemination (A8-0401/2018 - Dan Nica) NL
Ik heb voor het dossier Horizon Europa gestemd, het zogenaamde negende kaderprogramma voor onderzoek, omdat het een goede basis legt voor de verdere ontwikkeling van wetenschap en technologie, industriële concurrentie en de realisatie van de duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelstellingen.We wilden graag de schrapping van de bepaling die het voorzorgsbeginsel vervangt door het innovatieprincipe, omdat dit voor rechtsonzekerheid zorgt.Onder impuls van de Groenen is het programma Horizon Europa zeer sterk op klimaat gericht, is het gelinkt aan de concretisering van het Parijse klimaatakkoord en moet het vooral toepassingen bevatten waar burgers beter van worden. Geldoverdracht van Horizon Europa naar het Europese defensiefonds is bijvoorbeeld niet toegestaan. Voortaan moeten strategische onderzoeks- en innovatieplannen worden gemaakt met vooraf een multi-stakeholdersbevraging. De selectiecriteria zijn strenger als het over langetermijnprojecten gaat, er wordt een Europese Innovatieraad opgericht die veelbelovende innovaties zal opschalen en kmo's en start-ups zal helpen. Er komt ook meer transparantie bij de follow-up van de besteding van de middelen. De geselecteerde domeinen zijn onder andere gezondheid (opsporen en behandelen van ziektes), de creatieve industrie, de circulaire economie, mobiliteit en energietransitie, duurzame landbouw en duurzaam gebruik van grondstoffen. Bovendien zijn het promoten van gelijke kansen en het zoeken naar genderevenwicht in de evaluatiepanels expliciet in de tekst opgenomen.
Programme implementing Horizon Europe (A8-0410/2018 - Christian Ehler) NL
Ik heb voor het dossier Horizon Europa gestemd, het zogenaamde negende kaderprogramma voor onderzoek, omdat het een goede basis legt voor de verdere ontwikkeling van wetenschap en technologie, industriële concurrentie en de realisatie van de duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelstellingen.We wilden graag de schrapping van de bepaling die het voorzorgsbeginsel vervangt door het innovatieprincipe, omdat dit voor rechtsonzekerheid zorgt.Onder impuls van de Groenen is het programma Horizon Europa zeer sterk op klimaat gericht, is het gelinkt aan de concretisering van het Parijse klimaatakkoord en moet het vooral toepassingen bevatten waar burgers beter van worden. Geldoverdracht van Horizon Europa naar het Europese defensiefonds is bijvoorbeeld niet toegestaan. Voortaan moeten strategische onderzoeks- en innovatieplannen gemaakt worden met vooraf een multi-stakeholdersbevraging. De selectiecriteria zijn strenger als het over langetermijnprojecten gaat, er wordt een Europese Innovatieraad opgericht die veelbelovende innovaties zal opschalen en kmo's en start-ups zal helpen. Er komt ook meer transparantie bij de follow-up van de besteding van de middelen. De geselecteerde domeinen zijn onder andere gezondheid (opsporen en behandelen van ziektes), de creatieve industrie, de circulaire economie, mobiliteit en energietransitie, duurzame landbouw en duurzaam gebruik van grondstoffen. Bovendien zijn het promoten van gelijke kansen en het zoeken naar genderevenwicht in de evaluatiepanels expliciet in de tekst opgenomen.
Protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law (A8-0398/2018 - Virginie Rozière) NL
Klokkenluiders die onregelmatigheden vaststellen of misbruik van de wet in hun baan naar buiten willen brengen, hoeven niets meer te vrezen. Een Europese richtlijn zal hen voortaan beschermen tegen mogelijke vergeldingen.Het duurde enkele jaren voor deze richtlijn er was, maar de krijtlijnen zijn uitgeschreven door de Verts/ALE-Fractie en de ernstige onthullingen van de laatste jaren (WikiLeaks, LuxLeaks, de Panama Papers...) hebben er vaart achter gezet.Eens de wet van kracht is, kunnen straffen opgelegd worden aan wie weerwraak wil nemen op klokkenluiders. Zij die melding maken van inbreuken op de EU-wetgeving zijn vrijgesteld van burgerlijke of strafrechtelijke aansprakelijkheid als de openbaarmaking van informatie in het algemeen belang is. De richtlijn definieert het toepassingsgebied, bakent grenzen af ten aanzien van de nationale veiligheid en legt verder duidelijke criteria vast omtrent de procedure voor openbaarmaking.Het had heel wat voeten in de aarde en de onderhandelingen met de lidstaten en de Raad waren bij momenten hard tegen onzacht, maar de deal die is bereikt getuigt van gezond verstand en komt de democratie en de transparantie van de rechtsstaat alleen maar ten goede.
Transparent and predictable working conditions in the European Union (A8-0355/2018 - Enrique Calvet Chambon) NL
Dit voorstel omtrent transparantie en voorspelbare arbeidsomstandigheden had alles in zich om Europa écht socialer te maken en alle werknemers in Europa op dezelfde manier te beschermen. De nationale regeringen zijn tijdens de onderhandelingen met de Raad echter zo hard op de rem gaan staan dat ze de weg naar het voor ons zo belangrijke sociale Europa eigenlijk onmogelijk maken. De richtlijn mist strikte definities (bijvoorbeeld wat een "werknemer" is) en staat toe dat lidstaten op zowat elk onderdeel uitzonderingen kunnen maken.De richtlijn bevat wel enkele goede punten. Oproepkrachten en gelegenheidswerkers (denk aan Deliveroo of Uber) vallen bijvoorbeeld onder deze wet, maar er mist een basis om contractwerk van zelfverklaarde (schijn)zelfstandigen tegen te gaan. Positief is dat voor de baan wettelijk verplichte opleidingen kostenvrij moeten zijn voor de werknemer en binnen de werkuren moeten worden georganiseerd. Wat ter stemming voorlag, bevat echter zo veel mogelijkheden tot uitzonderingen dat de wet op voorhand al is uitgehold en voor ons niet meer te verdedigen valt. Vooral de allerzwaksten op de arbeidsmarkt zullen niet beter beschermd worden. Er is pas een verplichting om mensen na één week te informeren over hun arbeidsomstandigheden en -voorwaarden. Toch wel essentieel. Ik heb daarom tegen gestemd.
European Labour Authority (A8-0391/2018 - Jeroen Lenaers) NL
17 miljoen Europeanen wonen of werken in een andere lidstaat en 1,4 miljoen Europeanen pendelen regelmatig over de grens. Er zijn zowat 2,8 miljoen tijdelijke detacheringsopdrachten. Dagelijks doorkruisen meer dan 2 miljoen werknemers verschillende lidstaten via goederen- of personenvervoer. In al die lidstaten geldt telkens andere sociale wetgeving, waardoor het gemakkelijk is die te omzeilen of zwart te werken. De op te richten Europese Arbeidsautoriteit (ELA, een soort Europol voor sociale zaken) zal niet alleen gezamenlijk afgesproken sociale inspecties kunnen uitvoeren, maar ook geschillen tussen lidstaten omtrent relevante voorzieningen kunnen aanpakken, lidstaten kunnen informeren en hen relevante analyses kunnen doorspelen. Positief is dat reeds bestaande initiatieven zoals het Eures, het Europees platform tegen zwartwerk en het Comité van deskundigen inzake detachering in de ELA worden opgenomen. De nieuwe organisatie zal er in elk geval op kunnen toezien dat arbeidswetgeving in de verschillende lidstaten correct wordt toegepast. De Verts/ALE-Fractie heeft ook geprobeerd om bemiddelingsprocedures toegankelijk te maken voor gewone burgers (zoals dat kan voor de Ombudsman), maar dat voorstel is niet behouden. Ik heb vóór de oprichting van de Europese Arbeidsautoriteit gestemd.
Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (A8-0173/2019 - Pier Antonio Panzeri, Cristian Dan Preda, Frank Engel, Charles Goerens) NL
Vandaag stemden we over de oprichting van één instrument voor nabuurschap, ontwikkeling en internationale samenwerking dat twaalf bestaande instrumenten zou samenvoegen. Hoewel de Commissie hiermee de effectiviteit van het externe optreden van de EU hoopt te verbeteren, vrezen wij dat de EU door deze megafusie nog meer zal focussen op haar eigen belangen – zoals het terugdringen van migratie en het bevorderen van handelsbelangen – ten koste van zaken als armoedebestrijding, mensenrechtenbevordering, vrede en conflictpreventie en bestrijding van klimaatverandering.De groene fractie speelde een grote rol in de onderhandelingen. Hierdoor bevat de tekst heel wat goede zaken, zoals bijvoorbeeld het gegeven dat 45 % van het budget gebruikt moet worden voor klimaatdoelstellingen, milieubescherming en biodiversiteit.Helaas zijn een aantal zaken nog steeds erg problematisch. Zo staat de 45 %-doelstelling enkel in een overweging, en niet in een artikel, waardoor het niet bindend is. Daarnaast is er een problematische focus op het terugdringen van migratie en een te beperkt budget voor conflictpreventie, vrede en veiligheid. Tot slot gaat er ook veel te veel budget naar militaire capaciteitsopbouw. Formeel gezien kan dat niet met ontwikkelingsgeld en is dit dus illegaal. Gezien de gemengde gevoelens over de tekst, heb ik mij dus onthouden van stemming.
European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund (A8-0094/2019 - Andrea Cozzolino) NL
De samenvoeging van het Cohesiefonds en het Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling leek een goede stap richting betere regelgeving. Temeer daar de Commissie in haar voorstel met duidelijk afgebakende doelstellingen en prioriteiten kwam. De vijf prioriteiten waar Groen zich helemaal in kon vinden: een slimmer Europa dat inzet op innovatie, economische transitie en kmo’s, een groener Europa, koolstofarm en gericht op energietransitie, een meer verbonden Europa, zowel qua transport als digitaal, een socialer Europa en een Europa dat dichter bij de burgers staat. Heel progressief allemaal.Onderweg werd de inhoud echter zodanig afgezwakt, dat ik onmogelijk nog achter de tekst kan staan. Dit is geen basis voor onderhandelingen met de Raad en de Commissie. De christendemocraten willen het geld blijven gebruiken voor business as usual : investeringen in fossiele brandstoffen, in luchthavens, in verbrandingsovens en storten van afval, steun aan grote bedrijven en bijzonder weinig ambitie voor duurzame investeringen. Ik ben geschokt over het gebrek aan ‘sense of urgency’ in dit Parlement. EU-geld zou niet uitgegeven mogen worden aan milieubeschadiging en klimaatonvriendelijke projecten, nochtans is dat wat met deze tekst nu voorligt. We moeten onze ambitie echt veel hoger stellen, willen we de opwarming van de aarde een halt toeroepen!
EU fertilising products (A8-0270/2017 - Mihai Ţurcanu) NL
Hoewel het resultaat na onderhandelingen met de Raad veel minder ambitieus is dan wat de Commissie aanvankelijk had voorgesteld, kan ik me toch vinden in het eindresultaat. Het feit alleen al dat na dertig jaar discussie eindelijk een grenswaarde is vastgelegd voor cadmium in kunstmeststoffen is een hele vooruitgang! De limiet is nu vastgesteld op 60 mg per kilo fosfaatmeststof (vanaf het moment dat de verordening van kracht wordt, ergens in 2022), er komt een evaluatie van deze norm tegen 2026, lidstaten die – bij gebrek aan Europese normen – een lagere drempelwaarde hadden vastgelegd mogen deze behouden en meststoffen die minder dan 20mg/kg cadmium bevatten krijgen een ‘laag cadmium’-label. De onderhandelingen verliepen moeizaam omdat er verschillende parlementaire commissies bij betrokken waren. Ook omdat er raakvlakken of zelfs overlap was met de nitraatrichtlijn, de definitie van bio-stimulansen, de etikettering van biologische producten en de verplichting van economische operatoren om de technische documentatie van hun product bij te houden. De lobby van de meststoffenindustrie was bijzonder hardnekkig. Marokko als grootste producent van fosfaatgesteente en handelspartner van diverse lidstaten, versterkte de weerstand tegen het opleggen van limieten in het bijzonder. Al bij al is dit eindakkoord het best mogelijke resultaat gezien de politieke situatie.
Protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (A8-0382/2018 - Laura Agea) NL
Kanker is een van de grootste aan arbeid gerelateerde doodsoorzaken in de Europese Unie. Als we erin slagen om de blootstelling aan kankerverwekkende stoffen op het werk te verminderen, dan kunnen we werknemers beter beschermen en zetten we een stap in de richting van een gezondere werkomgeving. De richtlijn die voorligt somt niet alleen op welke chemische stoffen vermeden moeten worden, ze stelt ook maximale blootstellingswaarden voor. Indien mogelijk moet het schadelijke proces of de schadelijke stof vervangen worden door een minder of niet-schadelijk product. Als dat niet mogelijk is moeten de kankerverwekkende stoffen zoveel mogelijk in een gesloten omgeving blijven of moet de blootstelling van de werknemers tot een minimum beperkt worden, bijvoorbeeld door het verplicht dragen van beschermende kledij. Werknemers moeten de zekerheid hebben dat de maximumwaarden niet worden overschreden. Dat is hun recht.De richtlijn omvat vijf nieuwe stoffen (cadmium, beryllium, formaldehyde, arseenzuur en methyleen) maar laat helaas nog een uitzondering toe in de houtsector en de gezondheidszorg voor het gebruik van formaldehyde. Desondanks is het een goede richtlijn die mijn steun krijgt, temeer omdat verder onderzoek blijft plaatsvinden om het toepassingsgebied van de wet uit te breiden met een lijst van gevaarlijke medicijnen.
Sustainable use of pesticides (A8-0045/2019 - Jytte Guteland) NL
Mijn strijd voor een gezonder leefmilieu krijgt hier navolging, zeker nu enkele bevindingen uit ons verslag van de bijzondere commissie PEST in de tekst zijn overgenomen. Doel van de richtlijn duurzaam pesticidegebruik is om de impact van schadelijke stoffen voor mens en milieu te verminderen door pesticiden op een meer doordachte, geïntegreerde manier te gebruiken en door alternatieven te promoten. De Groenen zijn erin geslaagd enkele voorstellen in het verslag over de tenuitvoerlegging noemenswaardig te versterken. Zo moet het gebruik van niet-chemische alternatieven voorrang krijgen en moeten kwetsbare groepen beter beschermd worden door pesticiden niet te gebruiken in openbare ruimten (in lijn met mijn PEST-verslag). Precisielandbouw en digitalisering moeten zorgen voor minder pesticiden en mogen boeren niet afhankelijk maken of in schulden steken. Het verslag bevat ook een sterke verwijzing naar het ondersteunen van agro-ecologie, omdat deze een veel duurzamere manier van ziektebestrijding inhoudt en het gebruik van pesticiden sowieso drastisch vermindert, of zelfs overbodig maakt. Het verslag linkt het gebruik van pesticiden ook expliciet aan het verlies van biodiversiteit en aan de afhankelijke positie waarin boeren verkeren. Enig negatief punt is de mogelijkheid om geïntegreerde gewasbescherming als vergroeningsmaatregel in het GLB te erkennen. Ik stem voor dit verslag.
Implementation of the cross-border Healthcare Directive (A8-0046/2019 - Ivo Belet) NL
Sinds 2011 bestaat er een Europese richtlijn over grensoverschrijdende zorg. Deze wetgeving bepaalt onder welke voorwaarden een patiënt een medische behandeling kan ondergaan in een andere Europese lidstaat, en of die zorg wordt terugbetaald in eigen land. Dit kan handig zijn voor Europese burgers die kampen met een zeldzame ziekte of voor EU-burgers die in een grensgebied wonen. De richtlijn moest het voor burgers makkelijker maken om informatie te krijgen over beschikbare behandelingen in andere Europese landen via zogenaamde nationale informatiepunten.Ondanks het bestaan van deze richtlijn, schrikken veel patiënten er nog steeds voor terug om naar het buitenland te trekken voor medische zorg, wegens gebrek aan informatie en allerlei administratieve obstakels. Vele lidstaten hebben de richtlijn erg laat of onvoldoende geïmplementeerd. Uit onderzoek blijkt dat minder dan 20 % van de Europese burgers voldoende op de hoogte is over zijn recht op grensoverschrijdende zorg, en dat de nationale informatiepunten onvoldoende bekend zijn.De Groenen ondersteunen de oproep om specifieke centra rond zeldzame ziekten op te zetten, gelinkt aan de bestaande Europese referentienetwerken. Ook willen we samenwerking rond digitalisering van gezondheidszorg stimuleren, op voorwaarde dat dit niet leidt tot uitsluiting van bepaalde groepen patiënten. Ik stemde met overtuiging voor dit verslag.
European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) (A8-0445/2018 - Maria Arena) NL
De Groenen strijden voor een rechtvaardige transitie naar een ecologische, duurzame economie en maatschappij. Het begeleiden van werknemers bij veranderingen of herstructureringen is een essentieel onderdeel van dit transitieproces. Daarom ondersteunen we EU-actie om directe steun te bieden aan ontslagen werknemers om hoogwaardige, duurzame banen te vinden. Bijgevolg gaf ik een ja-stem voor het verslag over het Europees Fonds voor aanpassing aan de globalisering en steun ik het mandaat om in onderhandeling te treden met de Raad. Ik ondersteun de verbrede reikwijdte van het fonds en de nieuwe naam “Europees Fonds voor transitie” (EFT). Zoals vermeld in het verslag dient het EFT een Europese meerwaarde te bieden. De financiële bijdragen mogen dus niet gebruikt worden ter vervanging van maatregelen die lidstaten moeten nemen volgens hun nationale wetgeving of collectieve overeenkomsten. Hoewel ik het verselag steun, gaf ik een nee-stem voor het amendement van de Sociaaldemocraten om een deel van het fonds te kunnen gebruiken voor vergaderingen en capaciteitsopbouw ter ondersteuning van sociaal-economische herschikking in bepaalde getroffen regio’s of sectoren. De specifieke meerwaarde van dit fonds is de directe steun aan werklozen, en gezien het beperkte budget dient alle focus hier naartoe te gaan i.p.v. naar andere doeleinden.
Use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road (A8-0193/2018 - Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar) NL
Ik heb met overtuiging tegen dit verslag gestemd, omdat de EU hier opnieuw bewijst dat een sociaal Europa voor haar geen prioriteit is. Als we de transportmarkt openzetten, dan moeten we er ook voor zorgen dat werknemers beschermd worden. Met deze wetgeving blijft het mogelijk om dit te omzeilen door ingewikkelde constructies op te zetten en chauffeurs kansen te ontnemen, zoals een Pools bedrijf dat Bulgaarse chauffeurs tewerkstelt met vrachtwagens die gehuurd worden in Frankrijk. Door de huur van wagens te beperken tot twee maanden (eventueel met twee maanden verlengbaar) per jaar, kan oneigenlijk gebruik vermeden worden. Onze amendementen in die richting werden van tafel geveegd, omdat ze indruisen tegen de werking van de vrije markt en dus de liberalisering. Nu kunnen wagens voor minstens vier opeenvolgende maanden gehuurd worden. We hadden graag ook emissierechten gekoppeld aan het verhuur van de wagens, maar ook dat amendement heeft het niet gehaald. Deze richtlijn hoort bij het mobiliteitspakket van mei 2017, dat op zich geen deel uitmaakt van de sociale pijler, maar er wel heel dicht tegen aanleunt. Toen er in juni 2018 al een eerste stemming was, werd gezegd dat een akkoord nabij was, maar niets blijkt minder waar.
EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (A8-0366/2018 - Pedro Silva Pereira) NL
De EU-JEPA is niet duurzaam en niet eerlijk: de overeenkomst bevat helaas geen bindende, afdwingbare regels voor de bescherming van het milieu, het klimaat, consumenten en werknemers. Overtredingen van het duurzaamheidshoofdstuk (hoofdstuk 16) kunnen niet worden vervolgd of bestraft.De EU-JEPA is niet democratisch: de overeenkomst besteedt op permanente basis politiek relevante discussies uit aan niet-parlementaire, weinig transparante instanties (The Joint Committee , hoofdstuk 22) en dito processen (Regulatory Cooperation ).De verwachte economische impact van de EU-JEPA is ondanks de enorme omvang van beide economieën erg laag: volgens berekeningen in opdracht van de Europese Commissie resulteert de overeenkomst in een eenmalige groei van het bruto binnenlands product van de Europese Unie van 0,14 % in het jaar 2035.Dat zijn dus de redenen van mijn nee-stem. Ik wil een andere soort overeenkomsten, waarin het algemene belang van mens, milieu, dier en rechtsstaat beter beschermd worden, niet alleen de belangen van enkele transnationale bedrijven.
Education in the digital era: challenges, opportunities and lessons for EU policy design (A8-0400/2018 - Yana Toom) NL
Leren is het creëren van kennis, niet alleen het vergaren of verwerven ervan. Leren is een permanent proces tussen mensen en hun culturen. Scholen richten zich vandaag vooral op het verwerven van kennis en op “scoren” terwijl de digitale omgeving in de 21e eeuw zo veel meer mogelijk maakt. Het wordt tijd dat lesmethoden meer interactief, participatief en praktijkgericht zijn en worden afgestemd op de leeftijd, het ontwikkelingsniveau, de noden én interesses van leerlingen en studenten.Naast kennis is ook sociaal en emotioneel leren (SEL) belangrijk voor het welzijn (denk aan cultureel bewustzijn, mediageletterdheid of probleemoplossend denkvermogen). Leren met de computer kan uitgebreid worden naar nieuwe vormen van sociaal-digitale participatie (SDP) om te leren werken met sociale media of zoekmachines. Het moet bovenal gaan om motiverende leermethodes, zinvolle opdrachten die tot stand komen door samenwerking en het zelf kunnen bepalen van onderdelen ervan. Meer dan om de techniek of technologische ondersteuning gaat het om noodzakelijke pedagogische vernieuwing. Losse projecten scoren vaak wel, maar onderliggende fundamenten en structuren blijven gelijk, terwijl onderwijsprogramma's nood hebben aan een systemische ontwikkeling. In de eerste versie van dit verslag werd te eenzijdig het digitale aspect beklemtoond, zonder pedagogische visie, maar de intussen aangepaste tekst verdient alle steun.
Interim report on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 – Parliament's position with a view to an agreement (A8-0358/2018 - Jan Olbrycht, Isabelle Thomas, Janusz Lewandowski, Gérard Deprez) NL
Het Europees Parlement wil dat de Europese Unie in de periode 2021-2027 verplicht meer investeert in de strijd tegen klimaatverandering. 30% van de uitgaven moet worden geïnvesteerd in klimaatgerelateerde zaken, waaronder biologische landbouw, wetenschappelijk onderzoek, en belastingen op uitstoot en plastic. Het Europees Parlement roept ook op een einde te maken aan alle kortings- en correctiemechanismen die sommige lidstaten hebben bedongen. Gebeurtenissen zoals de Brexit mogen niet gebruikt worden als excuus om de Europese uitgaven te ondermijnen. Daarom moet de nieuwe meerjarenbegroting een einde maken aan alle kortings- en correctiemechanismen. Het Parlement geeft hiermee een sterk signaal aan de lidstaten en de Europese Commissie.De huidige begroting (2014-2020) bedraagt 1 082 miljard EUR, oftewel 1% van het bruto nationaal inkomen van de hele Europese Unie. De nieuwe begroting zou moeten stijgen naar 1 324 miljard EUR, oftewel 1,3%. Het voorstel van de Europese Commissie bedraagt 1,11%. De Europese ministers van Financiën hebben hun posities nog niet bepaald.Als de uitkomst van de onderhandelingen tussen de drie Europese instellingen onvoldoende steun voorziet voor de uitdagingen van de toekomst en geen hefbomen voorstelt voor een socialer en duurzamer Europa, zal de groene fractie in het Europees Parlement haar steun voor de meerjarenbegroting intrekken.
CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles (A8-0354/2018 - Bas Eickhout) NL
Vrachtwagens en zware bedrijfsvoertuigen in de EU moeten vanaf 2025 zeker 20 procent minder CO2 uitstoten.Vanaf 2030 moet dat verder zijn teruggebracht tot 35 procent.Hiermee verstevigt het Parlement het voorstel van de Europese Commissie dat uitgaat van een reductie van slechts 15 procent in 2025 en 30 procent in 2030.Ondanks gelobby vanuit de auto-industrie én zware tegenstand van de conservatieve partijen stemt een meerderheid van het Parlement in met onze ambitieuze CO2-reductiedoelstellingen voor vrachtwagens.Fabrikanten moeten ook investeren in schonere vrachtwagens. Vanaf 2025 moet 5 procent van de nieuwe vrachtwagens uit emissie-loze of emissie-lage (waterstof- of elektrische) voertuigen bestaan.Vanaf 2030 moet dat 20 procent zijn. Een groter aanbod van duurzamere voertuigen zal een gunstig effect op de aanschafprijs hebben. Dat maakt het voor bedrijven ook aantrekkelijker schonere vrachtwagens te kopen.Het is tijd voor de Europese Unie om in te zetten op schone vrachtwagens. Landen als de VS, China, Canada en Japan lopen niet alleen mijlenver voor op ons met de aanpak van CO2-uitstoot. Ze zijn ook verder met de productie van schonere voertuigen.We laten als Europa kansen liggen als we zelf geen stappen zetten richting duurzame alternatieven voor de transportsector.
Governance of the Energy Union (A8-0402/2017 - Michèle Rivasi, Jakop Dalunde) NL
Om de klimaatdoelstellingen te halen en de energieprijzen zo laag mogelijk te houden, is een goed functionerende Europese energiemarkt nodig. Nationale energiemarkten worden beter op elkaar afgestemd via de zogeheten energie-unie. Dat vraagt om planning en toezicht. We leggen vast hoe lidstaten garanderen dat ze samen de doelstellingen voor duurzame energie en energie-efficiëntie halen. Cruciaal is het idee van een CO2-budget. Er mag nog maar een maximale hoeveelheid CO2 als geheel worden uitgestoten. De exacte getallen worden verder uitgewerkt door de Europese Commissie.Tot 2020 heeft de Europese Unie een doelstelling van 20% duurzame energie. De doelstelling voor 2030 werd vastgesteld op 32% en die kan in 2023 omhoog bijgesteld worden. Het geeft een duidelijk signaal aan de energiesector. Investeerders weten welke kant de EU opgaat.Ook bestaat er niet langer een rechtstreekse Europese stimulans voor het gebruik van biobrandstoffen gemaakt uit voedselgewassen. Daarnaast komt er een uitfasering van de meest schadelijke biobrandstoffen, waaronder palmolie.Ook zijn er nieuwe afspraken omtrent energiebesparing. Besparingen betalen zichzelf terug via een lagere energierekening. Net als de doelstelling voor duurzame energie, is de doelstelling voor energie-efficiëntie gekoppeld aan de herzieningscyclus van het Parijsakkoord. In 2023 kunnen we de doelstellingen verder verhogen.
The rule of law in Romania (B8-0522/2018) NL
Het Parlement maakt zich terecht zorgen over het nieuwe beleid van de Roemeense regering. Er worden wetswijzigingen doorgevoerd die de onafhankelijkheid van de rechterlijke macht onzeker maken. Het strafrecht wordt herzien met als gevolg dat de grote corruptie in Roemenië niet meer effectief wordt bestreden. Ngo’s worden verplicht iedere zes maanden gedetailleerd uit te leggen waar ze hun middelen vandaan halen. Dat heeft een afschrikwekkende werking op het werk van ngo’s. Zo is er geen vrijheid van vereniging en respect voor privacy. Ook wordt er gepoogd de Roemeense media te veranderen in politieke propaganda-instrumenten.Dit zijn allemaal stappen in de verkeerde richting. Ingrijpen is nodig. De Roemeense bevolking verdient onze steun. Er is daar deze zomer volop gedemonstreerd, met als hoogtepunt het mislukken van het referendum over het huwelijk voor enkel man en vrouw.Het Europees Parlement wijst terecht op de onafhankelijke analyses en aanbevelingen van de Commissie van Venetië en de corruptiebestrijdingswerkgroep GRECO van de Raad van Europa en dringt er bij Roemenië op aan die volledig na te leven. Het Europees Parlement onderstreept nogmaals het verzoek om met een zogenoemde APK-keuring voor EU-landen te komen waarmee de staat van de democratie, rechtsstaat en fundamentele rechten in ieder EU-land wordt gemeten.
Provision of audiovisual media services (A8-0192/2017 - Sabine Verheyen, Petra Kammerevert) NL
Als consument kijken we anders naar de veelheid aan media dan 5 jaar geleden. We consumeren vandaag media op een andere manier dan 5 jaar geleden. Daar zorgden heel wat technologische evoluties voor.De hervorming van deze Richtlijn vindt plaats in het kader van een groter geheel van initiatieven en hervormingen die noodzakelijk zijn voor de Europese strategie van een “eengemaakte digitale markt”. Gezien de grote technologische omwenteling die heeft plaatsgevonden, met als klassiek voorbeeld de grote populariteit van video-on-demand, is het noodzakelijk de huidige wetgeving onder de loep te nemen en aan te passen aan de situatie zoals die vandaag is.Belangrijke zaken zijn onder meer de bescherming van minderjarigen, het bestrijden van haatpredikers, het inperken van de impact van reclame en “product placement”, het verhogen van de toegankelijkheid voor mindervaliden en het promoten van Europees werk dat online verschijnt.Ik stemde voor het bereikte akkoord tussen het Europees Parlement en de Raad van Ministers. De hervorming van de Richtlijn was zonder meer noodzakelijk en het bereikte resultaat is meer dan verdedigbaar.
European Solidarity Corps (A8-0060/2018 - Helga Trüpel) NL
Het Europees Solidariteitskorps richt zich op jongeren, op de toekomst dus, en wil door het aanmoedigen van vrijwilligerswerk de solidariteit in Europa versterken. Het verslag van mijn groene collega Helga Trüpel legt de klemtoon op de inclusie van jongeren uit kansarme milieus, een doelgroep die te weinig wordt bereikt langs de geijkte kanalen.Het programma richt zich op jongeren tussen 18 en 30 jaar en reserveert 90 % van de middelen voor vrijwilligerswerk, 10 % voor tewerkstelling. Een 'gelijke' verdeling tussen werkgelegenheid en vrijwilligerswerk zou kunnen leiden tot een verminderde waarde van vrijwilligerswerk – een betaald aanbod lijkt immers aantrekkelijker – en zou van vrijwilligerswerk een tweederangsactiviteit maken. Sneu voor een sector die de ontwikkeling van burgerzin met het oog op het verhogen van het samenhorigheidsgevoel hoog in het vaandel draagt.Jeugdwerkloosheid mag dan een groot probleem zijn in Europa, dit programma heeft niet de bedoeling tewerkstelling te bevorderen. Daar bestaan immers andere initiatieven voor. De meeste bepalingen uit het voorstel van de Commissie in die zin zijn dan ook terecht geschrapt.Tot slot roept het Parlement ook op de naam van het project te wijzigen in “Solidariteitsinitiatief”. Het woord 'korps' roept een negatieve associatie op. Ik heb dit verslag mede goedgekeurd.
Statute for social and solidarity-based enterprises (A8-0231/2018 - Jiří Maštálka) NL
Sociale en op solidariteit gestoelde ondernemingen maken een belangrijk deel uit van de economie en kunnen op bijzondere steun van de Groenen rekenen. Het zijn veelal not-for-profit organisaties die specifieke sociale diensten leveren en via tewerkstelling zorgen voor de integratie van mensen met een beperking. Dit soort organisaties neemt diverse (juridische) vormen aan, zoals coöperaties, fondsen, stichtingen of verenigingen. Hun activiteiten zijn uiteenlopend in het educatieve, culturele of sociale veld of in de gezondheidssector. Om verdere ontwikkeling en innovatie van deze organisaties te stimuleren roept de Commissie met dit initiatief een label in het leven dat in alle lidstaten wordt erkend.Dit verslag legt de criteria vast waaraan de organisaties moeten voldoen om zo’n label te kunnen krijgen. Het label kan zorgen voor meer zichtbaarheid of de kansen verhogen om private of publieke financiële steun te krijgen. In een bijlage zijn concrete aanbevelingen opgenomen over certificering, supervisie en monitoring en de manier waarop de bedrijven moeten rapporteren. Er is tevens een bestraffingsmechanisme opgenomen bij misbruik van het label.Er is geen criterium opgenomen voor gelijke verloning en ook het principe ‘één man-één stem’ heeft het niet gehaald, maar al bij al is het een goed verslag dat mijn volle steun heeft gekregen.
Towards an EU external strategy against early and forced marriages (A8-0187/2018 - Charles Goerens) NL
Dit is een stevig rapport dat raakt aan de grove schending van een mensenrecht van ongeveer een miljard mensen wereldwijd, namelijk gedwongen (kind)huwelijken. 750 miljoen jonge vrouwen en 156 miljoen mannen worden om diverse redenen gedwongen om voor hun 18de in het huwelijk te stappen, 250 miljoen meisjes en 25 miljoen jongens zelfs voor hun 15de. Niet alle lidstaten hebben wetgeving die dit fenomeen verbiedt of treffen maatregelen om dit probleem aan te pakken binnen hun rechtspraak. Ook Europa mag er voor mij beter op toezien dat dit mensenrecht ook buiten de Europese Unie wordt gerespecteerd. Huwelijken onder de 18 zouden geen erkenning mogen krijgen.Van de negen groene voorstellen tot wijzigingen van de tekst, zijn er acht aangenomen. Met name dat de lidstaten de Istanbul Conventie zouden moeten bekrachtigen, maar ook dat meer nadruk moet liggen op opvoeding en onderwijs en dus een vroegere bewustwording rond gedwongen kindhuwelijken. Verder is opgenomen dat culturele noch religieuze redenen mogen meespelen om huwelijken te rechtvaardigen, dat betrokkenen toegang tot rechtbanken moeten hebben en dat geen leeftijdstesten zijn toegelaten. Het homohuwelijk was in deze context niet aan de orde. Ik heb in ieder geval voor het verslag gestemd.
European Defence Industrial Development Programme (A8-0037/2018 - Françoise Grossetête) NL
Dit akkoord dat de verordening rond defensie en industriële ontwikkeling behandelt, breekt de weg open voor een groot Europees defensiefonds. Nu al is 500 miljoen EUR gereserveerd voor 2019-2020, dit alles zonder veel regels, wettelijke omkadering en democratische controle. De Commissie stelt vast dat in de nationale defensiesectoren jaarlijks tot de helft van het budget verloren gaat door inefficiëntie, fragmentatie, dubbel gebruik én gebrek aan transparantie. Dit bestrijden vraagt wel wat meer dan wat er nu op tafel ligt. Het geheel werd via een snelle procedure doorgeduwd. Tijdens de onderhandelingen schrapte het EP, de christendemocraten voorop, zowat alle belangrijke voorbehouden en dat onder het mom van het nastreven van grotere efficiëntie. Ik erken dat er meer transparantie en overleg tussen de lidstaten nodig is zodat de veiligheid in Europa echt verhoogt. Technologieën delen en defensiebudgetten doordachter besteden zijn zeker belangrijk. Maar de Europese defensiesector moet niet gespijsd worden met EU-geld. De Europese groenen dienden gedurende de procedure 65 wetgevende amendementen in om een alternatief model te ontwikkelen voor defensiesamenwerking binnen de EU. Tevergeefs. Hier hebben sociaaldemocraten, christendemocraten en de conservatieven blijkbaar geen oren naar. De macht van het militair-industriële complex heeft het gehaald. Helaas. Ik heb dus met overtuiging tegen gestemd.
Violation of rights of indigenous peoples in the world (A8-0194/2018 - Francisco Assis) NL
De rechten van inheemse volkeren worden wereldwijd te vaak met de voeten getreden. Het rapport van de Commissie buitenlandse zaken is een eerste verslag waarin de focus wordt gelegd op de situatie van inheemse volkeren. Het groeiende fenomeen waarbij hun gebieden vaak illegaal ingenomen worden, ook door Europese bedrijven, vormt een continue bedreiging voor hun leefomgeving.Ik stemde voor het verslag, omdat het een goede eerste stap is die bovendien ook praktische aanbevelingen doet aan de lidstaten en de EU. Mede dankzij de groenen roept het Parlement hen op om de rechten van inheemse volkeren te erkennen, te beschermen en te promoten. Dit kunnen ze doen door ervoor te zorgen dat hun buitenlands beleid (handel, investeringen etc.) rekening houdt met de rechten van inheemse volkeren, met name dan vooral het recht op een vrije, geïnformeerde keuze. We sporen de EU ook aan om mensenrechtenactivisten die meer en meer onder druk staan beter te steunen.
Climate diplomacy (A8-0221/2018 - Arne Lietz, Jo Leinen) NL
Het Klimaatakkoord van Parijs blijft een bijzonder knappe diplomatische prestatie. Maar de echte uitdaging ligt bij de uitvoering, het opstellen van regels en procedures tijdens de volgende VN-klimaatconferenties en het veiligstellen van de internationale verstandhouding.De externe rol van de EU inzake klimaat moet aangevuld worden met een sterk intern klimaatbeleid. Ik heb voor dit verslag gestemd, omdat het duidelijke doelen afbakent in de strijd tegen klimaatverandering, hoewel de christendemocraten erin geslaagd zijn om op het laatste moment een belangrijk aspect van de tafel te vegen. Met een laatste amendement zorgden ze ervoor dat de term “klimaatvluchteling” uit de tekst is geschrapt.Het standpunt van het EP zelf voorziet in concrete hefbomen. Zo moet de hele Europese begroting afgestemd worden op de afspraken uit het Klimaatakkoord en gericht op de realisering van duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelstellingen. De Commissie moet een overzicht maken van in welke mate de huidige handelsakkoorden compatibel zijn met het Klimaatakkoord. Voor toekomstige handelsakkoorden moet het Klimaatakkoord ook als voorwaarde opgenomen worden. Daarnaast moet de Commissie ook programma’s ontwikkelen die het bewustzijn over de link tussen klimaatverandering en migratie, armoede en conflicten bij burgers verhogen.
CO2 emissions from and fuel consumption of new heavy-duty vehicles (A8-0010/2018 - Damiano Zoffoli) NL
Er is dringend behoefte aan een geharmoniseerde procedure die de CO2-uitstoot van zware voertuigen zoals vrachtwagens aantoont. Tot nu toe werd de CO2-uitstoot van zware transportvoertuigen niet gerapporteerd, noch gemonitord op een objectieve en gestandaardiseerde wijze. Dat maakt vergelijken onmogelijk en speelt bedrijven op dit moment parten. Zij zijn niet in staat om toestellen echt met elkaar te vergelijken en zo een bewuste keuze te maken voor voertuigen met een lagere CO2-uitstoot.Het is ook een eerste en noodzakelijke stap om CO2-emissies te limiteren, zoals onlangs werd voorgesteld door de Europese Commissie. Om de sector CO2-vrij te maken, moeten we kunnen weten en vergelijken hoeveel een voertuig uitstoot.Het verslag pleit er terecht ook voor om fabrikanten die falen en geen correcte data kunnen aanleveren boetes op te leggen. Daarom stemde ik voor.
Modernisation of education in the EU (A8-0173/2018 - Krystyna Łybacka) NL
We leren veel op school, maar tegenwoordig ook steeds meer daarbuiten. De informatiemaatschappij beperkt zich niet tot het klaslokaal. Integendeel de technologie maakt er deel van uit. In dit initiatiefrapport waar ik voor stemde staat hoe we scholen aantrekkelijk kunnen houden. De eigenlijke inrichting van het onderwijs is natuurlijk een bevoegdheid van de lidstaten of regio’s. Die hebben er wel alle belang bij dat hervormingen tot vooruitgang leiden en dat iedereen er de vruchten van kan plukken, ook het Europese project. Bijvoorbeeld door te zorgen voor meer solidariteit, rechtvaardigheid, meer tewerkstelling en innovatie. De Europese Unie zou de lidstaten hierin kunnen ondersteunen en daarom doet het Europees Parlement enkele aanbevelingen.Het rapport benadrukt het belang van onderwijs voor de samenleving en onderscheidt verschillende spelers op alle niveaus van de opleiding. Leerkrachten spelen een voorname rol en moeten de nodige ondersteuning krijgen. Maar het rapport stelt ook dat onderwijs moet zorgen voor kritische en creatieve mensen, dat er aandacht moet zijn voor inclusie, het ontwikkelen van burgerzin, het bestrijden van geweld, pesten en discriminatie. Dat scholen een grotere autonomie moeten krijgen zodat ze kunnen samenwerken met externe stakeholders en kunnen inspelen op de noden van de lokale gemeenschap waar ze zijn gevestigd.
The future of food and farming (A8-0178/2018 - Herbert Dorfmann) NL
Volgens mij moet het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid gebruikt worden om boeren te helpen omschakelen naar meer duurzame landbouw én moet het gaan over gezonde voeding. Als reactie op het Commissievoorstel is dit verslag maar flauw. Vandaar mijn tegenstem. Na onderhandelingen kwamen groene elementen binnen, maar de tekst verdedigt vooral de conservatieve visie die weinig garantie biedt voor een duurzamer landbouwmodel. De logica achter het huidige landbouwbeleid, dat ieder uur 35 boeren – vooral de kleinere – doet verdwijnen en het platteland doet leeglopen, moet anders. Daar is moed voor nodig, en dat toont dit verslag te weinig.We willen dat het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid hervormd wordt richting meer agro-ecologie, met het accent op lokale markten, korte voedsel- en bevoorradingsketens en een beter op elkaar afgestemd aanbod en vraag. Op ecologisch vlak willen we gesloten kringlopen, heropbouw van biodiversiteit en meer gebruik van agrobosbouw, zodat onze voedselvoorziening klimaatbestendig en stabiel wordt. We willen dat betalingen eerlijker verlopen, met een beter evenwicht tussen lidstaten en regio's, tussen grote en kleine bedrijven. Gekoppeld aan een bepaald resultaat en gestoeld op milieubewust boeren, dierenwelzijn en banencreatie. Wij kiezen niet voor een exportlandbouw gericht op de wereldmarkt. Op sociaal vlak willen we een sterke plattelandspijler. De landbouwbegroting mag ook niet verlaagd worden.
Implementation of CAP young farmers’ tools in the EU after the 2013 reform (A8-0157/2018 - Nicola Caputo) NL
In de EU is slechts 6 % van de landbouwbedrijfsleiders jonger dan 35 jaar en meer dan de helft ouder dan 55. Tussen 2007 en 2013 viel het aantal jonge boeren terug van 3,3 miljoen naar 2,3 miljoen. De moeilijke overdracht aan de volgende generatie is te wijten aan een tekort aan jonge boeren en de aarzeling van ouderen om met pensioen te gaan. Het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid werkt dit overigens in de hand en stimuleert grootschaligheid, waar heel veel kapitaal voor nodig is.In dit verslag worden de wezenlijke obstakels waarop jonge boeren stuiten als gevolg van het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid onvoldoende geanalyseerd: moeilijke toegang tot grond, mede veroorzaakt door concentratie van de grond in handen van enkele eigenaars, en de lage rentabiliteit van landbouw in het algemeen.De rapporteur erkent wel enkele bepalende factoren in die concentratie, zoals opkoping van aandelen door bedrijven, speculatie door investeerders buiten de landbouw, grootschalige verwerving van gronden of aankoop van gronden door niet-Europeanen, maar al met al legt hij de verantwoordelijkheid hiervoor bij de lidstaten. Dat biedt weinig garanties voor een coherente aanpak, juist omdat kapitaal zo vrij rondreist in de Unie. Ook het feit dat de landbouw niet winstgevend is voor jonge boeren blijft onderbelicht. Daarom onthield ik me van stemming.
Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (A8-0131/2018 - Helga Stevens) NL
In het kader van de strijd tegen internationaal terrorisme zijn de Groenen ervoor om toe te treden tot het Verdrag van de Raad van Europa ter voorkoming van terrorisme nr. 196 & 217 en het aanvullende protocol. Het verdrag zal de internationale samenwerking in het gevecht tegen terrorisme ten goede komen. Het doel van Verdrag nr. 196 is de inspanningen te verhogen om terrorisme te voorkomen, zowel op nationaal als internationaal niveau. Het criminaliseert onder meer de opzettelijke recrutering voor terrorisme, provocaties tot terrorisme en het opleiden om terroristische daden te plegen. Verdrag nr. 217 bestrijkt voornamelijk de preventie en het bedwingen van de stroom van buitenlandse terroristische strijders naar conflictzones. Daarnaast voorziet het in een gemeenschappelijk begrip rond terroristische misdrijven. Hiermee worden informatie-uitwisseling en grensoverschrijdend onderzoek naar de voorbereiding van terroristische misdrijven gefaciliteerd.Een aanvullend protocol criminaliseert onder meer het reizen voor terroristische doeleinden, het verzamelen van fondsen voor zulke reizen en het organiseren ervan. Vorig jaar hebben we tegen de terrorismerichtlijn gestemd die vergelijkbare punten bevatte. Nu de zwakheden rond die controversiële punten zijn opgelost, met name een duidelijke definitie van terrorisme, betere bescherming van vrijheid van meningsuiting en de principes van proportionaliteit, stemmen we voor.
Packaging and packaging waste (A8-0029/2017 - Simona Bonafè) NL
In het kader van duurzaamheid zetten we volop in op de circulaire economie. Een essentieel onderdeel daarbij is verpakking, afvalverwerking en hergebruik. In 2015 stelde de Commissie een wetsvoorstel voor dat een eerder, ambitieuzer voorstel van de vorige Commissie verving. We hebben hier hevig tegen geprotesteerd en de Commissie kwam uiteindelijk met een derde, ambitieuzer voorstel. We betreuren echter dat de ambitie van het eerste voorstel niet geëvenaard werd. De Groenen gingen ermee akkoord belangrijke verbeteringen op de huidige wetgeving aan te nemen. Met betrekking tot verpakking en verpakkingsafval zijn de voornaamste voorstellen van de Commissie een verhoging van recyclagedoelstellingen voor verpakkingsafval (65 % uiterlijk in 2025 en 75 % uiterlijk in 2030) en specifieke materialen (plastic, hout, aluminium, glas, papier en karton).Het Parlement vroeg om een verhoging van de recyclagedoelstellingen voor verpakkingsafval en de recyclagedoelstellingen voor de specifieke materialen met 5 procent. Bij de uiteindelijke overeenkomst is de 5 % verhoging van recyclagedoelwitten voor verpakkingsafval er niet gekomen. Hogere recyclagedoelstellingen voor de meeste specifieke materialen (behalve hout) zijn er wel gekomen. Ondanks de vaststelling dat veel van onze amendementen niet geaccepteerd werden, is het voor ons essentieel dat er concrete maatregelen worden getroffen. Om deze reden hebben de Groenen en ik voor gestemd.
A European strategy for the promotion of protein crops (A8-0121/2018 - Jean-Paul Denanot) NL
Dat we teveel vlees consumeren is bekend. Dat de vleesindustrie zoveel druk zet op onze planeet zet allicht minder. We eten en exporteren zoveel vlees en zuivelproducten en importeren zoveel soja als voeder, dat we al bijna heel het regenwoud hebben opgesoupeerd. 80% van de invoer komt uit Zuid-Amerika, waar soja als monocultuur op grote schaal gekweekt wordt, hoofdzakelijk genetisch gemanipuleerd én sterk pesticide-afhankelijk.We hebben bij de Europese Commissie met de Groenen lang aangedrongen op een eiwittenplan, nog voor de vorige landbouwhervorming. We moeten dringend af van onze drang naar soja, de daaraan gekoppelde vernietiging van het regenwoud, landroof én het schenden van mensenrechten. In de financiële Omnibusregeling dienden we hieromtrent een voorstel in, dat uiteindelijk leidde tot dit initiatiefverslag. Die nefaste gevolgen staan ook met zoveel woorden in het verslag.Tot onze grote ergernis liet de landbouwcommissie zich inpalmen door de agro-brandstoffen- en pesticidenlobby en holde de tekst uit op enkele cruciale punten. Toch stemde ik voor omdat het verslag gewag maakt van de noodzakelijke transitie naar meer agro-ecologie, met inbegrip van lokale productie en ggo-vrije landbouw. Het roept ook op om eiwithoudende gewassen beter te subsidiëren als vrijwillige gekoppelde steun of binnen de vergroeningsmaatregelen.
Energy performance of buildings (A8-0314/2017 - Bendt Bendtsen) NL
Gebouwen zijn verantwoordelijk voor 40% van de energieconsumptie en 36% van de CO2-uitstoot in de EU. Onder het pakket van “Clean Energy for all Europeans” is er een hervorming van de voornaamste wetgeving om de energieconsumptie en CO2-uitstoot te verminderen.Voor de groenen gelden drie prioriteiten. Eerst en vooral staan we een langetermijnrenovatiestrategie voor om tegen 2050 “Nearly Zero Energy Buildings” (NZEB) als standaard te hebben. Daarnaast willen we gebalanceerde voorwaarden voor elektronische mobiliteit met strenge inspecties. Elektronische mobiliteit refereert naar duurzaam transport door het gebruik van elektronische voertuigen. Ten slotte leggen we de focus op de menselijke dimensie (luchtkwaliteit, huisvesting, etc.). We hebben een positieve overeenkomst over de langetermijnrenovatiestrategie om tegen 2050 het NZEB-niveau te bereiken. We hebben een compromis bereikt dat toekomstgerichte oplossingen mogelijk maakt. De gepaste technische uitwerking wordt aan de lidstaten overgelaten. Ten slotte zijn we wat betreft de menselijke dimensie erin geslaagd de elementen te vrijwaren die voor ons essentieel zijn. De slechtst functionerende gebouwen krijgen prioriteit. Er zijn ook voorwaarden inzake klimaat en brandveiligheid. Er wordt advies verleend aan de burgers en renovaties gebeuren met een oog voor sociale aspecten. Om deze redenen hebben we voor gestemd.
Corporate social responsibility (B8-0140/2018, B8-0152/2018, B8-0153/2018, B8-0154/2018, B8-0155/2018, B8-0156/2018, B8-0157/2018, B8-0158/2018) NL
Het nakend ontslag van honderden werknemers in een Italiaanse fabriek voor koelkasten vormde de aanleiding voor deze resolutie over maatschappelijk verantwoord ondernemen. De fabriek wil graag verhuizen naar Slowakije, omdat het belastingstelsel er gunstiger is.Het is onbegrijpelijk dat we anno 2018 nog steeds moeten vechten voor de bescherming van werknemers. Het toont aan dat de EU betere en vooral afdwingbare sociale wetgeving nodig heeft.Begin maart werd gelukkig een akkoord gesloten met instemming van de vakbonden, waardoor de eerste dreiging voor de toekomst van de 500 werknemers is afgewend. Volgens de resolutie dragen bedrijven namelijk een grote verantwoordelijkheid ten aanzien van hun werknemers. Ze moeten die ook nemen, eerder dan kortetermijnwinsten na te streven.De resolutie suggereert dat als ondernemingen de afgelopen vijf – of beter zelfs tien – jaar steun kregen uit Europese fondsen, ze dat geld bij een verplaatsing moeten terugstorten. Verder benadrukt ze opnieuw het belang van een gemeenschappelijk belastingsysteem voor bedrijven, zodat concurrentie tussen lidstaten op dat vlak niet kan spelen. Tot slot vindt de resolutie dat we dergelijke momenten moeten aangrijpen om de overgang te maken naar meer duurzame productie in een groene en circulaire economie. Daar ben ik het volmondig mee eens.
Conservation of fishery resources and protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures (A8-0381/2017 - Gabriel Mato) NL
Laat er geen twijfel over bestaan, ook niet wetenschappelijk: elektrisch vissen is redelijk nefast voor mariene ecosystemen en is een bijzonder agressieve vismethode. Gebruikers van de Noordzee uiten al verschillende jaren hun ongenoegen over de effecten van het elektrisch vissen. Niet alleen verdwijnen visbestanden zienderogen, ze betekenen een economische opdoffer voor kleine rederijen, ondanks de Europese promotie van de kleinschalige visserij. Laat ook net de Belgische rederij veel hinder ondervinden van de Nederlandse vloot.Dat er efficiënter gevist wordt is een feit, en dat de zeebodem minder geschonden wordt ook. Maar door deze manier van vissen dringt men door tot in de kraamkamers van de vissen. Het gaat voornamelijk om een sterk teruglopend tongbestand. Onderzoek van het ILVO wijst uit dat er voldoende jonge vis is om de toekomst veilig te stellen, maar dat het bestand van volwassen tong de laatste drie jaar sterk is teruggelopen binnen de twaalfmijlszone. En dat vraagt om nader onderzoek.Ik heb dus vóór de voorstellen gestemd die pulsvisserij in de toekomst definitief moeten verbieden. Dat is eigenlijk nu al het geval, maar er zijn uitzonderingen mogelijk. Het is goed dat het Europees Parlement nu zeer duidelijk de pulsvisserij verbiedt.
Women, gender equality and climate justice (A8-0403/2017 - Linnéa Engström) NL
Dit verslag van collega Engström is een belangrijke verwezenlijking voor de Groenen en krijgt mijn volle steun. Hierin wordt eindelijk erkend dat het beleidsantwoord op klimaatverandering niet genderneutraal is. Vrouwen worden immers extra hard getroffen vanwege traditionele sociale en genderrollen. Tegelijk zijn vrouwen een belangrijke motor voor verandering en kunnen ze een cruciale rol spelen in het aanpassingsbeleid dat nodig is om de opwarming van de aarde het hoofd te bieden. Hen volop betrekken bij de besluitvorming hierover of bij het uittekenen van noodzakelijke maatregelen hiertoe is van primordiaal belang.De resolutie bevat verder een referentie aan klimaatverandering als oorzaak van migratie. Dit is voor de Groenen essentieel en stelt ons in staat om in het migratiedebat het genderperspectief én klimaatrechtvaardigheid in te brengen.De uiteindelijke oproep in dit verslag om indicatoren te ontwikkelen en gendergerelateerde gegevens te verzamelen om zo een klimaatrechtvaardig beleid te kunnen ontwikkelen, is gericht tot de Commissie en lidstaten. Zij worden ook gevraagd om toe te treden tot het Raamverdrag van de Verenigde Naties inzake klimaatverandering (UNFCCC), meer specifiek tot het genderactieplan, en daar ook financiering, prioritaire acties, tijdschema’s en opvolgingsmechanismen in te voorzien.
Annual report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (A8-0350/2017 - David McAllister) NL
Het jaarverslag over het Europees Buitenlands en Veiligheidsbeleid bevat voorstellen over de aanpak van de politieke crises in de wereld (Syrië, Lybië, Yemen) gestoeld op de Europese waarden als democratie, rechtstaat, vrijheid, gelijke kansen en de bescherming van mensenrechten. Het raakt uiteraard ook aan ruimere thema’s als klimaatopwarming of cybercriminaliteit. We konden de tekst hier en daar wel verbeteren, bijvoorbeeld dat we de oorzaken van gewapende conflicten moeten aanpakken en conflicten moeten voorkomen, dat we meer moeten inzetten op energiebevoorrading die niet afhankelijk is van fossiele brandstoffen, uit regio’s met autoritaire regimes.Toch bevat het enkele controversiële punten. Zo staat er dat de ontwikkeling van een sterke defensie-industrie de technologische onafhankelijkheid van de Unie versterkt. Het verslag roept de lidstaten ook op om meer in te zetten op defensie in lijn met de plannen van de Commissie om het onderzoek en de capaciteitsopbouw op het gebied van defensie te verbeteren. Ook de oproep om het potentieel van de capaciteiten van het Europees Defensieagentschap (EDA), de permanente gestructureerde samenwerking (PESCO) en de EU-gevechtsgroepen ten volle te benutten en daar ook de nodige financiële middelen tegenover te stellen (2% van het bbp), doen mij besluiten om mij bij de stemming over dit verslag te onthouden.
Amendments to various Regulations in the field of agriculture and rural development (A8-0380/2017 - Albert Deß) NL
Het landbouwluikje van de omnibusregeling is losgekoppeld van de rest van het akkoord zodat het tijdig door de lidstaten kan worden toegepast, maar laat nu net die haastigheid zorgen voor een bijzonder slecht resultaat. Ik kan me absoluut niet vinden in wat voorligt, omdat het ver buiten de aanvankelijke opzet tot vereenvoudiging valt. Waar het moest gaan over cijfers, is men beginnen te sleutelen aan beleidsmaatregelen. En dat is niet verstandig, zo kort voor een grondige herziening van het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid, te meer omdat de voorstellen allesbehalve richting duurzaamheid gaan. Kweekschema’s voor zeldzame rassen en variëteiten worden afgezwakt door de toelating van uitheemse soorten, allicht voor industrieel gebruik. Nieuwe regelingen in risicomanagement en verzekeringen zullen geld wegkapen bij investeringsbudgetten, ten voordele van de banken en financiers. Er zijn beperkingen op vergroening ingevoerd in ecologische focusgebieden (EFG) en bovendien zijn er teelten zoals rijst en miscanthus toegelaten in deze EFG die de biodiversiteit zullen bedreigen. Positief is dat de Commissie belooft met een plan te komen voor de teelt van plantaardige proteïnen en dat de definitie van permanent grasland soepeler kan toegepast worden. Ook de zelforganisatie van producentengroepen krijgt ondersteuning. Maar dat weegt niet op tegen de vele slechte maatregelen in dit voorstel.
Extension of the duration of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (A8-0198/2017 - Udo Bullmann, José Manuel Fernandes) NL
Het Parlement stemde in met een verlenging van het Juncker-investeringsplan (EFSI) waarbij de regels om de besteding van het investeringsfonds te verbeteren, aangescherpt werden. Als we publiek geld uittrekken om private investeringen aan te jagen, moeten projecten het algemeen belang dienen.Het EFSI werd in 2015 opgericht voor de periode tot en met 2018. De eerste resultaten van het investeringsplan zijn gemengd. Enerzijds heeft het EFSI bijgedragen tot meer banen en goede investeringen in energiebesparing en windenergie. Anderzijds kwam het EFSI nauwelijks ten goede aan Midden- en Oost-Europese EU-landen waar de noodzaak van duurzame investeringen het hoogst is. Ook droeg het EFSI met grote gasinvesteringen bij aan de gasverslaving van Europa.Het is een verbetering dat een substantieel deel van het EFSI-geld expliciet de klimaatagenda moet gaan ondersteunen. Niets houdt het bestuur van het EFSI tegen om de ambitie nog verder op te schroeven. Ook de transparantie van het EFSI werd verbeterd. Het bestuur van het EFSI moet het gebruik van Europees geld beter verantwoorden onder andere door meer inzicht te geven in het goedkeuren en afwijzen van projecten.Nu moet werk gemaakt worden van een nog ambitieuzer groen investeringsplan dat substantieel meer nieuwe publieke middelen vrijmaakt om miljoenen nieuwe duurzame banen te scheppen.
The EU-Africa Strategy: a boost for development (A8-0334/2017 - Maurice Ponga) NL
. – Om allerlei redenen is 2017 een belangrijk jaar voor de relaties tussen de EU en Afrika, al was het maar omdat het tien jaar na de goedkeuring van de gemeenschappelijke “Africa-EU Strategy” is en zeker ook in verband met het migratievraagstuk. Ik onthield mij van stemming bij het verslag-Ponga waarin het standpunt van de EU wordt bepaald voor de Europees-Afrikaanse top eind november in Ivoorkust. Nochtans staan in deze reactie van het EP (verslag-Ponga) op het voorstel van de Europese Commissie “For a renewed impetus of the Africa-EU partnership” zeker goede zaken over niet-controversiële zaken als goed bestuur, democratie, rechtstaat en beloften inzake klimaatbeleid, het beter managen van de ontginning van natuurlijke grondstoffen en de strijd tegen de illegale kapitaalvlucht uit Afrika.Maar er staan te veel zaken in waarmee ik het niet eens kan zijn. De manier waarop de handelsakkoorden tussen de EU en Afrikaanse landen worden bejubeld is zo eenzijdig, zonder enige kritische zin geformuleerd, dat ik dat niet kon goedkeuren. Ook de roep om meer privaat-publieke partnerschappen steunt de Europese aanpak om migratie te bestrijden op basis van het Africa Trust Fund. Zoals bekend wordt niet zozeer ontwikkeling gefinancierd, maar eerder het tegenhouden van migranten.
Saving lives: boosting car safety in the EU (A8-0330/2017 - Dieter-Lebrecht Koch) NL
Jaarlijks sterven in de EU zo’n 25 000 mensen in het verkeer en raken 135 000 mensen zwaar gewond. Erg om vast te stellen is dat de slachtoffers van dodelijke verkeersongevallen in stedelijke gebieden voor 51 % uit voetgangers en fietsers bestaan. Het is dus zeer noodzakelijk steden aan te moedigen in hun mobiliteitsplannen streefcijfers op te nemen om het aantal verkeersongevallen terug te dringen. Ongeveer 25 % van het totale aantal dodelijke verkeersongevallen per jaar in de EU is terug te voeren op alcoholgebruik. Het voorstel van de Europese Commissie om bepaalde verkeersmaatregelen aan te scherpen krijgt dan ook mijn steun. Zo kunnen wagens met betere technologische uitrusting bestuurders ondersteunen en helpen ongevallen te voorkomen of de impact ervan inperken.Amendementen van de groene fractie verbeterden het verslag. Zwakke weggebruikers zoals fietsers en voetgangers krijgen meer aandacht. Noodremondersteuning is opgenomen. De dodehoekspiegels bij vrachtwagens moeten performanter en het installeren van alcohol- of snelheidsbegrenzers moet vlotter. Het verslag herinnert er ook aan dat kilometerfraude op de markt voor tweedehandsauto’s in veel lidstaten een onopgelost probleem blijft. Het is daarom erg belangrijk dat de Commissie en de lidstaten het manipuleren van of knoeien met kilometertellers door middel van doeltreffende maatregelen en wetgeving aanpakken.
Prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms (A8-0388/2016 - Othmar Karas) NL
Ik stemde tegen de wet die de financiële sector stimuleert leningen door te verkopen, omdat zo slecht begrepen risico’s zich over het hele financiële systeem kunnen verspreiden. Een meerderheid van het Parlement stemde er echter wel mee in. Een meerderheid lijkt inderdaad aan politiek geheugenverlies te lijden. Tien jaar geleden begon de financiële crisis doordat risico's verstopt zaten in complexe financiële producten. Vandaag stemmen ze in met een wet die deze praktijk reguleert.In het kader van de kapitaalmarktenunie vond de Commissie het nodig het aanbod van financiering te stimuleren door middel van ‘securitisatie’: het verpakken en doorverkopen van financiële contracten zoals leningen (hypotheken, autoleningen, creditcards). Het is financiële instellingen toegestaan voor deze producten – mits ze aan een aantal eisen voldoen – lagere kapitaalbuffers aan te houden. Een dubieuze aanpak, want bedrijven geven al tijden aan dat er helemaal geen gebrek aan toegang tot financiering is. Groene voorstellen om te garanderen dat securitisatie op een veilige manier gebeurt, overleefden de onderhandelingen over de wet niet.Banken zouden een substantieel deel van het risico verplicht zelf moeten aanhouden zodat ze niet langer belang hebben bij het doorverkopen van rommel. Die eis is zodanig afgezwakt dat slechte leningen zich alsnog makkelijk kunnen verspreiden.
Negotiating mandate for trade negotiations with Australia (A8-0311/2017 - Daniel Caspary) NL
De EU gaat in volle vaart door met het sluiten van bilaterale handelsakkoorden. Het Europees Parlement steunde vandaag de opening van onderhandelingen met Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland zonder inspraak op te eisen over de inhoud van het handelsakkoord. Dit gebrek aan democratische controle is problematisch.De zwakke rol van nationale parlementen in dit proces moet door goede controle op Europees niveau gecompenseerd worden. Dat is niet het geval zolang het Europees Parlement alleen bij het eindresultaat ja of nee kan zeggen.Een meerderheid verwierp een voorstel van de Groenen om het EP zeggenschap te geven over het onderhandelingsmandaat zodat zaken als duurzaamheid, consumentenbescherming als harde voorwaarden aan een handelsakkoord worden gesteld. Daardoor blijven de resoluties van vandaag eenvoudig te negeren door de Commissie die de onderhandelingen namens de lidstaten voert.Het sluiten van handelsakkoorden kan positief zijn als ze eraan bijdragen dat de globalisering beter gereguleerd wordt. Dat handelende bedrijven belasting betalen, milieuwetten en mensenrechten respecteren bijvoorbeeld. De EU heeft dat tot nu toe nauwelijks laten zien. Het blinde vertrouwen van het Europees Parlement in Commissie en lidstaten is misplaatst.
Negotiating mandate for trade negotiations with New Zealand (A8-0312/2017 - Daniel Caspary) NL
De EU gaat in volle vaart door met het sluiten van bilaterale handelsakkoorden. Het Europees Parlement steunde vandaag de opening van onderhandelingen met Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland zonder inspraak op te eisen over de inhoud van het handelsakkoord. Dit gebrek aan democratische controle is problematisch.De zwakke rol van nationale parlementen in dit proces moet door goede controle op Europees niveau gecompenseerd worden. Dat is niet het geval zolang het Europees Parlement alleen bij het eindresultaat ja of nee kan zeggen.Een meerderheid verwierp een voorstel van de Groenen om het EP zeggenschap te geven over het onderhandelingsmandaat zodat zaken als duurzaamheid, consumentenbescherming als harde voorwaarden aan een handelsakkoord worden gesteld. Daardoor blijven de resoluties van vandaag eenvoudig te negeren door de Commissie die de onderhandelingen namens de lidstaten voert.Het sluiten van handelsakkoorden kan positief zijn als ze eraan bijdragen dat de globalisering beter gereguleerd wordt. Dat handelende bedrijven belasting betalen, milieuwetten en mensenrechten respecteren bijvoorbeeld. De EU heeft dat tot nu toe nauwelijks laten zien. Het blinde vertrouwen van het Europees Parlement in Commissie en lidstaten is misplaatst.
Ending child marriage (B8-0535/2017) NL
De EU is actief in landen waar kindhuwelijken voorkomen en kan via haar buitenlands beleid fondsen en programma's inzetten die kindhuwelijken, gedwongen huwelijken of huwelijken op jonge leeftijd uit de wereld helpen. Eén op de drie meisjes in ontwikkelingslanden huwt voor haar achttiende verjaardag en één op de negen zelfs voor haar vijftiende. Deze kinderen verdienen meer bescherming en toegang tot gezondheidszorg.De resolutie benadrukt dat kindhuwelijken een vorm van geweld zijn tegen vrouwen en meisjes en dat het Verdrag van Istanbul er zelfs toe oproept om dit in het strafrecht op te nemen. Zowel de EU als de lidstaten kunnen tot een gemeenschappelijke aanpak komen, meer inzetten op preventie via onderwijs en betere gezondheidszorg, extra aandacht schenken aan kinderen uit armere gemeenschappen en vluchtelingenkinderen. Vandaag is weinig cijfermateriaal beschikbaar, dus inzetten op het verzamelen en monitoren van dit soort gegevens is belangrijk.Ook het dichten van de financiële put na de Global Gag Rule van de VS, die financiering verbiedt van organisaties zoals het Bevolkingsfonds van de VN, die anticonceptie verstrekken en voorlichting geven aan vrouwelijke slachtoffers van kindhuwelijken om de kans op hiv-besmetting en complicaties bij zwangerschappen op jonge leeftijd te verminderen, kan bijdragen tot het uitbannen van kindhuwelijken.
EU accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (A8-0266/2017 - Christine Revault d'Allonnes Bonnefoy, Anna Maria Corazza Bildt) NL
Het Verdrag van Istanbul, dat een eind wil stellen aan geweld tegen vrouwen, bevat enkele sterke aanbevelingen voor een effectieve aanpak die vrouwen en kinderen die slachtoffer zijn van geweld, maar ook specifieke groepen zoals asielzoekers, beter beschermt.Door het Verdrag te ondertekenen zullen alle EU-lidstaten verplicht zijn accurate en vergelijkbare data door te sturen aan Eurostat, zodat een afdoend beleid kan opgesteld worden dat tot reële oplossingen leidt. Europa krijgt ook het recht om experten aan te duiden die kunnen toezien op de toepassing en uitwerking van het Verdrag. De EU kan zo haar rol om geweld tegen vrouwen tegen te gaan alleen maar versterken.Geweld tegen vrouwen en kinderen krijgt een ruime interpretatie. Zo is het ontzeggen van seksuele rechten en reproductierechten, of het ontnemen van het recht op veilige en wettelijke abortus, ook een vorm van geweld.België heeft het Verdrag al geratificeerd, maar de cijfers blijven wel hallucinant: zo wordt 1 op de 10 Vlaamse jongeren die seksueel actief zijn, ooit tegen hun zin tot seks gedwongen; krijgt 1 op 5 vrouwen in België ooit te maken met partnergeweld en overlijden 70 vrouwen per jaar aan de gevolgen van partnergeweld... Dit moet stoppen!
Impact of international trade and EU’s trade policies on global value chains (A8-0269/2017 - Maria Arena) NL
Het concept van een mondiale waardeketen blijft in het Europees handelsbeleid vaak onder de wettelijke radar en daar willen wij met de Groenen al langer iets aan doen. We probeerden deze resolutie te versterken door MVO niet langer op vrijwillige basis toe te passen (want dat blijkt niet te werken), het aspect ‘verplichte verantwoording’ op te nemen in handelsakkoorden, de TSIA-hoofdstukken te versterken en de voorwaarden voor Export Productie Zones (EPZ) in bevoorrechte handelsovereenkomsten beter te omschrijven, want nu omzeilen ze de arbeids- en milieuwetgeving.We willen bijvoorbeeld ook dat de mondiale waardeketen wordt opgenomen in toekomstige investeringsakkoorden, dat genderaspecten ook gaan over toegang tot loon, andere vormen en voorwaarden van tewerkstelling, het belang om de levenscyclus van producten tot het eind mee te nemen, en dus ook het dumpen van afval.Dit is niet het beste verslag over de impact van het Europees handelsbeleid op mondiale waardeketens, en dat ligt vooral aan de meerderheden in dit parlement die niet graag spreken over mensenrechten of maatschappelijk verantwoord ondernemen. Het belangrijkste voor de Groenen is dat de resolutie verplichte zorgvuldigheid eist en dat momenteel een bindend VN-Verdrag inzake Transnationale bedrijven en Mensenrechten wordt onderhandeld.
Fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law (A8-0230/2017 - Ingeborg Gräßle, Juan Fernando López Aguilar) NL
Het Europees Parlement sprak vandaag zijn steun uit voor de richtlijn ter bescherming van de financiële belangen van de EU (de zogenaamd ‘PIF-richtlijn’) en maakt zo van de inning van de btw tussen landen en van de strijd tegen btw-fraude een consistent geheel. Het bevat ook aanbevelingen voor het Europees Openbaar Ministerie.Dit is een eerste stap richting harmonisering van het strafrecht. Dat lidstaten jaarlijks 50 miljard euro aan btw-inkomsten mislopen, is totaal onaanvaardbaar. Dat geld had naar publieke dienstverlening moeten gaan. Door nu de definitie van fraude en het opleggen van straffen beter op elkaar af te stemmen, kan de strijd tegen dit soort economische misdrijven makkelijker worden gevoerd en kunnen overheden makkelijker hun belastingen innen.De stemming vandaag is bovendien een opsteker voor de handhavingsautoriteiten in de lidstaten en het nog op te richten Europees Openbaar Ministerie. De stemming toont verder aan dat de EU bereid is streng op te treden tegen dit soort criminelen die erop uit zijn de overheidsinkomsten uit diverse Europese begrotingen in eigen zak te steken.
A longer lifetime for products: benefits for consumers and companies (A8-0214/2017 - Pascal Durand) NL
Dit initiatiefverslag stuurt een sterk signaal om een eind te maken aan de beperkte levensduur van producten. Teveel producten worden bewust zo gemaakt dat ze niet al te lang meegaan en niet gerepareerd kunnen worden, opdat mensen maar een nieuw exemplaar zouden kopen. Deze wegwerpmentaliteit is niet langer houdbaar. Ze is niet alleen nefast voor het milieu, maar ook sociaal en economisch kunnen we de gevolgen niet langer negeren. Vandaag verbruikt de gemiddelde Europeaan 43 kg grondstoffen per dag (50 % meer dan 30 jaar geleden!) en produceren we 14 kg elektrisch en elektronisch afval per jaar per persoon.Het rapport zoomt vooral in op de gebruiksvriendelijkheid van producten en doet voorstellen om tot een ander consumptiemodel te komen. Zo willen we criteria invoeren opdat producten bij het ontwerp een minimale levensduur krijgen. Ze stellen ook voor geprogrammeerde (en dus opzettelijke) veroudering van producten te ontmoedigen.Iedereen weet dat toestellen soms onherroepelijk in de prullenmand verdwijnen, omdat het product zo is ontworpen dat reparatie onmogelijk is. Door de industrietakken te ondersteunen die inspanningen leveren om producten te verduurzamen, maar ook door de consument beter te informeren, kunnen we dit verhelpen. Deze beleidsaanbevelingen verdienen onze volle steun.
Working conditions and precarious employment (A8-0224/2017 - Neoklis Sylikiotis) NL
Werkonzekerheid en slechte werkomstandigheden zijn vandaag de dag niet langer de uitzondering; ze maken integraal deel uit van de manier waarop de Europese arbeidsmarkt is georganiseerd. Het was ooit anders en we willen daar als Groenen weer de aandacht op vestigen: de wetten en normen die in het verleden zijn bevochten en afgedwongen hadden als doel werknemers te beschermen. De realiteit is anders: lonen liggen vaak lager dan de werkloosheidsvergoeding of armoedegrens, wie zijn werk verliest valt dikwijls tussen de mazen van het net, en de wetgeving biedt voor deze precaire banen te weinig sociale bescherming.Ik heb het initiatiefverslag ten volle gesteund, omdat het vertrekt van wat werk niet moet zijn en zich baseert op de definitie die de Internationale Arbeidsorganisatie (IAO) geeft van degelijk werk. Dat betekent dat werk moet leiden tot een redelijk inkomen, een veilige werkplaats, sociale bescherming, uitzicht op persoonlijke ontwikkeling en sociale integratie, de vrijheid om bezorgdheden te kunnen uiten, kunnen meebeslissen als het de eigen loopbaan betreft.Dankzij de Groenen kreeg het verslag daarnaast de volgende accenten: het genderevenwicht (vrouwen belanden gemakkelijker in onzekere banen), het belang van sociaal overleg, ontslagbescherming, levenslang leren. Kortom, het biedt vele antwoorden en toont hoe we precaire banen kunnen vermijden.
Achieving the two-state solution in the Middle East (RC-B8-0345/2017, B8-0345/2017, B8-0346/2017, B8-0347/2017, B8-0348/2017, B8-0352/2017, B8-0354/2017) NL
Het EP herhaalt zijn krachtige steun voor de tweestatenoplossing voor het Israëlisch-Palestijns conflict op basis van de grenzen van 1967, met Jeruzalem als de hoofdstad van beide staten, waarbij de veilige staat Israël en een onafhankelijke, democratische, aaneengesloten en levensvatbare staat Palestina zij aan zij leven in vrede en veiligheid op basis van het recht op zelfbeschikking en volledige eerbiediging van het internationaal recht. Ik pleit ervoor dat beide partijen zo spoedig mogelijk wezenlijke onderhandelingen hervatten om tot een rechtvaardige, duurzame en alomvattende vrede te komen. In die zin zou het goed zijn als beide partijen hun engagement ten aanzien van de tweestatenoplossing opnieuw uitspreken en zich aldus distantiëren van stemmen die deze oplossing verwerpen.Het EP herinnert eraan dat nederzettingen illegaal zijn volgens het internationaal recht en benadrukt dat recente besluiten om nieuwe nederzettingen op te richten op de Westelijke Jordaanoever, om openbare aanbestedingen uit te schrijven voor bijna 2 000 wooneenheden in nederzettingen en om verder gelegen land op de Westelijke Jordaanoever tot "staatsland" te verklaren de vooruitzichten op een levensvatbare tweestatenoplossing ondermijnen. De Israëlische autoriteiten moeten dit beleid dan ook onmiddellijk stopzetten en terugdraaien.
EU Strategy on Syria (RC-B8-0331/2017, B8-0331/2017, B8-0333/2017, B8-0335/2017, B8-0337/2017, B8-0338/2017, B8-0341/2017, B8-0342/2017) NL
Het EP stelt vandaag met spijt vast dat Syrië door de verwoestende burgeroorlog tientallen jaren achterop is geraakt in termen van sociale en economische ontwikkeling, dat miljoenen mensen hierdoor noodgedwongen zijn terechtgekomen in werkloosheid en armoede en dat het conflict heeft geleid tot een aanzienlijke vernieling van gezondheids- en onderwijsvoorzieningen en tot een grootschalige ontheemding van Syriërs en een braindrain. Juist daarom is het zo belangrijk de niet-humanitaire hulp die gericht is op het vergroten van de veerkracht van mensen in Syrië op te voeren en de economie te herstarten. De lidstaten moeten daarnaast harder werken aan een betere lastenverdeling door de mensen die de oorlogsgebieden in Syrië ontvluchten toe te staan bescherming te zoeken in andere dan de directe buurlanden van Syrië, onder meer middels hervestiging en humanitaire toelatingsregelingen. Zodra het conflict voorbij is, zal het echter ook nodig zijn geschoolde Syrische vluchtelingen te stimuleren terug te keren zodat zij kunnen bijdragen aan de wederopbouw.Het is eveneens cruciaal om een volledig ongehinderde humanitaire toegang in heel Syrië af te dwingen en daarbij te zorgen voor elementaire publieke voorzieningen (elektriciteit, water, gezondheidszorg). Ook de beëindiging van alle stadsbelegeringen en de vrijlating van gevangenen en gijzelaars blijven essentieel.
Making relocation happen (B8-0340/2017, B8-0343/2017, B8-0344/2017) NL
Ruim anderhalf jaar geleden beloofden we Griekenland en Italië te ontlasten door 160 000 vluchtelingen over te plaatsen. In de praktijk is dat amper gebeurd. De lidstaten mogen niet langer treuzelen bij het herverdelen van die vluchtelingen over de rest van Europa.De lakse houding van de EU-landen is teleurstellend. Dit is een oefening in solidariteit. Solidariteit met vluchtelingen, maar ook tussen EU-landen onderling. Er zijn minder dan 19 000 vluchtelingen uit Griekenland en Italië herverdeeld.Sinds de Turkijedeal is drastisch veranderd welke vluchtelingen in aanmerking komen voor herverdeling. Alle vluchtelingen die in Griekenland aan zijn gekomen na het ingaan van de deal zouden niet mogen worden herverdeeld, terwijl dit nergens staat in de bindende afspraken die door het EP zijn behandeld.EU-landen verzinnen allerlei uitwegen om de aantallen te verlagen, maar ondertussen zitten vluchtelingen al maandenlang vast op Griekse eilanden. Ook zij hebben recht op een nieuw bestaan.Het is schandalig dat de landen en de Commissie spelen met cijfers en definities. Sommige landen weigeren zelfs alleenstaande minderjarige vluchtelingen op te vangen, of ze willen vluchtelingen op basis van religie selecteren.Mensen op de vlucht verdampen niet opeens als je wegkijkt. Vluchtelingen zijn een verantwoordelijkheid van ons allemaal.
Implementation of the Council's LGBTI Guidelines, particularly in relation to the persecution of (perceived) homosexual men in Chechnya, Russia (B8-0349/2017, B8-0349/2017, B8-0350/2017, B8-0351/2017, B8-0353/2017, B8-0355/2017, B8-0356/2017) NL
Het nieuws dat begin april in Tsjetsjenië meer dan honderd (vermeend) homoseksuele mannen waren opgepakt en door veiligheidsdiensten werden vastgehouden in het kader van een gerichte campagne, is verontrustend en schokkend. Dat Rusland intussen huiselijk geweld, ook tegen kinderen, uit het strafrecht haalde, is een grote stap achteruit. Wetgeving die geweld binnen het gezin tolereert, kan ernstige gevolgen hebben, zowel voor de slachtoffers als voor de hele maatschappij.In deze resolutie vragen we dringend om onafhankelijk, objectief en grondig onderzoek naar de aanhoudingen, folteringen en moorden, zodat de planners en uitvoerders van deze misdaden voor het gerecht kunnen worden gebracht en er een einde wordt gemaakt aan de straffeloosheid. We betreuren de wijdverbreide mensenrechtenschendingen en roepen de Tsjetsjeense en Russische autoriteiten op hun eigen wetgeving in acht te nemen, hun internationale verplichtingen na te komen, de rechtsstaat en de universele mensenrechtennormen te handhaven en gelijkheid en non-discriminatie te bevorderen, ook van LGBTI's. Tot slot moeten er ondersteunende maatregelen komen zoals bewustmakingscampagnes en de bevordering van een cultuur van tolerantie, respect en inclusie op basis van gelijkheid en non-discriminatie.Dat homofobie anno 2017 in een grootmacht als Rusland leidt tot opsluiting en folteringen is verbijsterend. Daar blijf ik me tegen verzetten.
Objection pursuant to Rule 106: GMO cotton GHB119 (B8-0293/2017) NL
Deze stemming is de zoveelste terechtwijzing van de Europese Commissie. 425 collega's (of 62,3 % van de uitgebrachte stemmen) verzetten zich tegen de invoer van dit genetisch gemodificeerde katoen. Ook in de Raad van ministers is er een duidelijke meerderheid van lidstaten tegen deze toelating. De Commissie moet dit politiek signaal ernstig nemen, de onderhandelingen over de besluitvormingsprocedure opstarten en zolang er hierover geen akkoord bestaat tussen Raad en Parlement, zich onthouden van enige goedkeuring van ggo-teelten, noch voor cultivatie noch voor invoer in de EU.
Genetically modified maize DAS-40278-9 (B8-0292/2017) NL
Deze stemming is de zoveelste terechtwijzing van de Europese Commissie. 435 collega's (of 63,5 % van de uitgebrachte stemmen) verzetten zich tegen de invoer van deze genetische gemodificeerde maïs. Ook in de Raad van ministers is er een duidelijke meerderheid van lidstaten tegen deze toelating. De Commissie moet dit politiek signaal ernstig nemen, de onderhandelingen over de besluitvormingsprocedure opstarten en zolang er hierover geen akkoord bestaat tussen Raad en Parlement, zich onthouden van enige goedkeuring van ggo-gewassen, noch voor teelt noch voor invoer in de EU.
Situation in Hungary (B8-0295/2017, B8-0296/2017) NL
De afgelopen jaren houdt de Hongaarse overheid een heksenjacht op alles wat een gezond werkende democratie en rechtsstaat kenmerkt. De persvrijheid, ngo's, universiteiten en de rechten van minderheden en vluchtelingen worden keer op keer slachtoffer van de grillen van de Hongaarse premier Viktor Orbán. Deze resolutie geeft de Commissie burgerlijke vrijheden het mandaat te onderzoeken hoe deze zaken verder aangepakt kunnen worden. Er lopen inbreukprocedures op verschillende vlakken, maar een artikel 7-procedure heeft verdergaande gevolgen. Deze zou Hongarije tijdelijk op non-actief kunnen zetten door het land zijn stemrecht in de Europese Raad te ontnemen. Het is jammer dat een groot deel van de christendemocraten hun partijgenoot Orbán de hand boven het hoofd blijven houden. Voor de overige partijen is het geen optie om toe te zien hoe Hongarije steeds verder verwijderd geraakt van een democratie en rechtsstaat. Buitenlandse ngo's wordt het functioneren in Hongarije lastig gemaakt, kranten worden gedwongen te sluiten, minderheden worden in een kwaad daglicht gesteld, asielzoekers worden opgesloten in containers aan de grens. Allemaal voorbeelden van maatregelen van de regering-Orbán. Dat alles terwijl Hongarije per hoofd van de bevolking de meeste Europese subsidies ontvangt en er veel serieuze aanwijzingen zijn dat die gelden corruptie en nepotisme versterken.
European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (B8-0298/2017) NL
Ik steun de resolutie over het Europees Kwalificatiekader voor een leven lang leren voluit. Het kader regelt de erkenning van elders verworven competenties en bevestigt de formele en informele opleiding in verschillende onderwijssystemen. Het komt de arbeidsmobiliteit ten goede en beantwoordt aan de noden van de bevolking en de samenleving in het algemeen.De tekst benadrukt dat de rol van dit referentiekader is dat de vergelijkbaarheid van kwalificaties tussen de lidstaten groter wordt, zonder dat dit iets afdoet aan de specifieke kenmerken van de eigen nationale onderwijssystemen.Tegelijkertijd zijn niet alleen diploma's maar ook andere ervaringen zeer waardevol. Alle vaardigheden en competenties, ongeacht de leeftijd of status van iemand, moeten meetellen, bijvoorbeeld die uit het vrijwilligerswerk. Manuele vaardigheden zorgen er bijvoorbeeld voor dat de sector van de ambachtelijke productie de identiteit van bepaalde lidstaten vorm geeft.Dergelijke competenties moeten zichtbaarder, beter gewaardeerd en erkend worden op een duidelijke en toegankelijke manier. De resolutie roept er daarom toe op dat de lidstaten een grotere inspanning leveren om met dit kader aan de slag te gaan. Uiteindelijk heeft levenslang leren niet alleen een economische, maar ook een sociale component. Door de elders verworven competenties te erkennen krijgen individuen meer gelijke kansen op de arbeidsmarkt en educatieve gerechtigheid.
Annual report 2015 on the protection of EU's financial interests - Fight against fraud (A8-0159/2017 - Julia Pitera) NL
Dit verslag over de fraudebestrijding in de EU baart zorgen. Het aantal gemelde frauduleuze en niet-frauduleuze onregelmatigheden nam in 2015 aanzienlijk toe, met name met 36 %. Niet alles daarvan is regelrechte fraude, maar toch moeten we jammer genoeg vaststellen dat de samenwerking tussen de Commissie en de lidstaten op het vlak van fraudebestrijdingsbeleid niet doeltreffend genoeg is. 75 % van alle gemelde fraudegevallen betreft goederen als tabak, elektrische machines, schoeisel, textiel, ijzer en staal. Sigarettensmokkel alleen al zorgt jaarlijks voor een verlies van 10 miljard euro aan gederfde overheidsinkomsten voor de lidstaten en de Europese begroting.De tekst die we vandaag goedkeurden is een goed werkstuk. Er wordt terecht in betreurd dat de Commissie het niet langer nodig vindt het corruptieverslag te publiceren. Daarover werd met het EP geen overleg gepleegd en deze beslissing is sowieso een verkeerd signaal. Daarbij komt dat de EU, sinds zij in november 2008 is toegetreden tot het VN-verdrag tegen corruptie (UNCAC), nooit heeft deelgenomen aan de voorziene toetsingsmechanismen. Ook kwam er geen zelf-evaluatie. Onaanvaardbaar is dat. De EU moet spoedig het lidmaatschap aanvragen van de Groep van staten tegen corruptie (GRECO) van de Raad van Europa. Het zou goed zijn hierover een debat te organiseren.
Resource efficiency: reducing food waste, improving food safety (A8-0175/2017 - Biljana Borzan) NL
Wereldwijd bedraagt de jaarlijkse voedselverspilling 1,3 miljard ton. Een derde van alle voedsel komt niet terecht in de monden van mens en dier. De Europese Rekenkamer gaf aan dat de Commissie niet ambitieus genoeg is. Er is behoefte aan een meer gecoördineerd beleid en bindende doelstellingen om het voedselverlies te verminderen. We vragen de lidstaten en de Commissie bindende maatregelen te nemen die het voedselverlies tegen 2025 met 30 % verminderen en tegen 2030 halveren ten opzichte van 2014. De Europese Raad en de Commissie moeten ook nadenken over een Europees jaar tegen voedselverspilling.Veel voedsel wordt verspild door een slecht begrip van de datumaanduidingen "te gebruiken tot" en "ten minste houdbaar tot". Veel voedingsproducten zijn ook de dagen na het verstrijken van deze datumaanduidingen perfect geschikt voor consumptie. Gewoon even ruiken en proeven en ruimte geven aan gezond boerenverstand zou al helpen!Ook het bevorderen van korte toeleveringsketens kan een essentiële rol spelen bij het terugdringen van voedselverspilling. Wie via korte ketens koopt bij een landbouwer, komt in aanraking met de producenten van het voedsel en zal automatisch meer respect opbrengen voor de arbeid van boeren en boerinnen. Dat respect leidt sowieso tot het minder gemakkelijk weggooien van voedsel.
Adequacy of the protection afforded by the EU-US privacy Shield (B8-0235/2017, B8-0244/2017) NL
Het Europees Parlement uit harde kritiek op het Privacy Shield. De Commissie meent dat met dit akkoord de persoonsgegevens die Europeanen aan commerciële partijen toevertrouwen voldoende door de Verenigde Staten beschermd worden. Bedrijven zijn niet verplicht mee te doen aan Privacy Shield, en massasurveillance en geautomatiseerde analyse van commerciële data door politie- en inlichtingendiensten zijn nog steeds toegestaan.Het Privacy Shield is de opvolger van het Safe Harbour-akkoord, dat door de rechter ongeldig is verklaard omdat er onvoldoende bescherming van persoonsgegevens werd afgedwongen. Te verwachten valt dat ook dit akkoord door de rechter wordt verworpen. Een verdrag dat ieder moment door het Hof ongeldig kan worden verklaard, is niet goed voor business.Wanneer er bij de Europese autoriteiten voor persoonsgegevens de verdenking van het toepassen van een sleepnet bestaat, zijn zij verplicht het versturen van gegevens naar de VS te blokkeren. Dat betekent dat veel apparaten, zoals telefoons, niet meer naar behoren zouden werken. Het sturen van persoonlijke data voor commerciële doeleinden naar de VS mag niet ten koste van alles gaan. Onze grondrechten verdienen bescherming. Het Privacy Shield beschermt gegevens die wij aan bedrijven toevertrouwen niet tegen datagraaierij van Amerikaanse politie- en veiligheidsdiensten.
Palm oil and deforestation of rainforests (A8-0066/2017 - Kateřina Konečná) NL
Palmolie is een van de meest gebruikte plantaardige oliën ter wereld. De EU is de derde grootste markt ter wereld, zowel voor biobrandstoffen als voor de voedselproductie. Die massale productie zorgt voor het verwoesten van diverse ecosystemen in tropische bossen. De helft van alle tropische ontbossing komt door de illegale ontginning voor palmolie, soja, rundvlees en hout. Dat zorgt voor de extra uitstoot van broeikasgassen ten belope van 1, 47 ton of ¼ van de totale emissies van de EU. Maleisië, Indonesië en Borneo ondergaan de kwalijke gevolgen van deze expansie: monoculturen, de massale ontbossing van regenwouden, bosbranden en het verlies van grond- en oppervlaktewater. Het Parlement legt de vinger op de wonde.Het Europees Parlement wil minimale duurzaamheidscriteria voor de import van palmolie of producten die palmolie bevatten. Het EP roept op tot een EU-actieplan met concrete regelgevende maatregelen en het uitvoeren van onafhankelijke audits op palmoliebedrijven. Het EP benadrukt het potentieel van agro-ecologische praktijken om via gemengde plantages en permaculturen het ecosysteem te maximaliseren en te beschermen. Op die manier wordt een eerste stap gezet richting duurzame palmolieproductie. Ten slotte is er de oproep het gebruik van palmolie uit te faseren als component van biobrandstoffen, bij voorkeur vóór 2020.
Women and their roles in rural areas (A8-0058/2017 - Marijana Petir, Maria Lidia Senra Rodríguez) NL
Vrouwen zijn bij uitstek agents of change en durven vaker dan hun mannelijke collega’s de omslag te maken naar een meer duurzame landbouw of naar meer differentiatie op het bedrijf via hoeveverkoop of hoevetoerisme. Ze verdienen daar alle mogelijke ondersteuning bij. Vrouwen zijn vaak de sterkhouders op een boerderij maar krijgen daar maatschappelijk niet altijd waardering voor. Ze zijn bijvoorbeeld mede-eigenaar, maar bouwen minder pensioenrechten op.Dit verslag doet een aantal voorstellen om hen zichtbaarder te maken op de arbeidsmarkt. Zo vraagt de rapporteur aandacht voor de participatie van vrouwen in het managementteam, voor hun erfrecht of het recht op medezeggenschap. Hun plaats in besturen van plattelands- of landbouworganisaties kan meer worden belicht. Ook in het gemeenschappelijk landbouwbeleid is nog ruimte voor verbetering. Ondanks bestaande wetgeving inzake de gelijke behandeling van mannen en vrouwen in de sociale zekerheid en bij het ouderschapsverlof, laat de naleving ervan te wensen over. Dus ook daar vraagt het verslag aandacht voor.Opvallend is dat in de tekst het concept “gendergelijkheid” amper terug te vinden is, terwijl deze constructie juist een bredere invulling geeft aan rollen en het vrouwen minder in stereotypen duwt. De Groenen probeerden het begrip in de tekst te brengen. Ik ondersteun het verslag helemaal.
Supply chain due diligence by importers of minerals and metals originating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas (A8-0141/2015 - Iuliu Winkler) NL
Deze Europese wet die de handel in grondstoffen uit conflictgebieden aan banden legt, is een mijlpaal op weg naar een verantwoorde winning van grondstoffen. De Europese Unie eist voortaan van bedrijven dat ze controleren of de grondstoffen, zoals goud en tin, die ze importeren geen gewelddadige rebellen of kinderarbeid financieren. Dit moet navolging krijgen in andere sectoren zoals bij de productie en import van kleding, cacao, palmolie waar Europese bedrijven betrokken zijn bij mensenrechtenschendingen.Er zijn ook minpunten: het is een gemiste kans om alle bedrijven tot verantwoordelijkheid te dwingen in de keten van de consument tot aan de mijn. Als alle Europese bedrijven die betrokken zijn bij de handel in conflictmineralen meedoen, heeft deze wet meer impact om wanpraktijken wereldwijd uit te bannen. De importeurs van halffabricaten zoals onderdelen voor mobiele telefoons, tablets of auto’s kunnen in de toekomst alsnog verplicht worden om hun grondstoffen te controleren als ze in de komende jaren onvoldoende vooruitgang laten zien. Ook steenkool en kobalt moeten onder de wet vallen. Niemand wil met de aankoop van een auto of mobiele telefoon een rebellengroep in Congo of Columbia sponsoren. Dat is vandaag de dag wél de realiteit. Er is dus nog werk aan de winkel.
Equality between women and men in the EU in 2014-2015 (A8-0046/2017 - Ernest Urtasun) NL
Sinds 2005 is volgens het Europees Instituut voor gendergelijkheid de kloof tussen mannen en vrouwen nog nauwelijks kleiner geworden binnen de EU. De loonkloof schommelt volgens Eurostat nog steeds rond de 16,5 % en is in sommige lidstaten de afgelopen vijf jaar zelfs gestegen.Nog erger is het gesteld met de pensioenkloof, die in de EU gemiddeld 40 % bedraagt en in de helft van de lidstaten de laatste jaren nog gegroeid is. Ook hebben vrouwen minder toegang tot de arbeidsmarkt. De belangrijkste reden voor al deze verschillen is, aldus EIGE, dat vrouwen gemiddeld minder topposities bekleden dan hun mannelijke tegenhangers.Het verslag van collega Urtasun vormt een drieluik van gendergerelateerde kwesties en een antwoord van het Europees Parlement op de mededeling van de Commissie. Deze mededeling gaat uit van landspecifieke monitoring op het gebied van gendergelijkheid. De resultaten ervan worden medegedeeld in jaarlijkse landverslagen. Deze methode volg ik volledig. Het verslag bevat daarenboven een aantal zeer progressieve elementen en daarom steun ik het ten volle. Er moet immers een tandje hoger worden geschakeld om de kloof tussen mannen en vrouwen in de EU te dichten.
Minimum standards for the protection of farm rabbits (A8-0011/2017 - Stefan Eck) NL
Jaarlijks worden er meer dan 340 miljoen konijnen gefokt in de EU. 99 % daarvan spendeert zijn hele leven in veel te kleine batterijkooien. Dit stemt niet overeen met de behoeften van dit dier op het vlak van voeding, huisvesting en sociaal contact. Tot op vandaag bestaan er geen minimumnormen hieromtrent en zijn er heel wat verschillen binnen de EU zelf. Met dit initiatiefverslag wordt getracht deze penibele situatie te verbeteren.Dit verslag gaat uit van het bevorderen van alternatieven voor de dieronvriendelijke batterijkooien, zoals het parksysteem of de biologische productie. Bij beide zitten konijnen samen in hokken die zijn voorzien van tunnels en platforms, wat het sociaal contact en de bewegingsvrijheid die deze dieren hard nodig hebben, bevordert. Bovendien zijn er verplichte hooirekken die zorgen voor de nodige vezelrijke voeding. Dat is een must voor konijnen. Bij de biologische productie beschikken konijnen over een kleine buitenruimte.Ondanks de vaststelling dat het verslag op een aantal punten is afgezwakt door de oppositie van de EVP, kan ik me vinden in de meeste voorstellen. Van bijzonder belang was de aanneming van het amendement over bindende wetgeving voor de lidstaten, iets wat ik zonder meer ook steun.
Possible evolutions of and adjustments to the current institutional set-up of the European Union (A8-0390/2016 - Guy Verhofstadt) NL
Europa is in crisis. Het euroscepticisme groeit. Steeds meer mensen plooien terug op een eng nationalistisch en protectionistisch gedachtengoed. Toch kunnen we de financieeleconomische crisis, de migratie- en vluchtelingenproblematiek, de ecologische uitdagingen en het terrorisme alleen succesvol aan door een Europese aanpak. Het is goed dat het EP nadenkt over de toekomst van Europa.Akkoord dat een “Europa à la carte” waarbij de lidstaten enkel meewerken aan die onderdelen van Europees beleid als het hen uitkomt, niet wenselijk is. Akkoord ook met de aanbeveling om de Europese Commissie af te slanken tot minder leden met 1 voorzitter en 2 vice-voorzitters verantwoordelijk voor Buitenlandse Zaken en Financiën. Helemaal akkoord met het stopzetten van de maandelijkse verhuis van het EP naar Straatsburg. Ja dus aan 1 zetel voor het EP.Maar de toekomst van Europa zal niet staan of vallen met het sleutelen aan structuren. We zullen de burgers alleen voor Europa kunnen winnen met concreet beleid en overtuigende resultaten. Cruciaal daarbij is dat we af moeten van het sluipend gif dat alle politieke beslissingen perverteert. We moeten gaan voor een ander Europa, een Europa van Mens en Milieu, weg van Markt en Munt. Gedaan dus met de neoliberale uitgangspunten van elk beleid.
Cost-effective emission reductions and low-carbon investments (A8-0003/2017) NL
Teveel Europarlementariërs hebben gebogen voor ongekende druk van de traditionele industrie. Ze geven liever miljarden aan publiek geld weg, dan dat ze opstaan tegen de lobbyisten die hun deur plat liepen. Daarmee wordt het klimaat en de maatschappij geschaad.Er lag een voorstel op tafel om de cementsector niet langer gratis emissierechten te geven, maar ze in plaats daarvan te beschermen door importeurs emissierechten te laten kopen aan de EU-grens. De sector verdiende de afgelopen jaren miljarden aan gratis rechten. Met dit voorstel zou de vervuiler betalen zonder dat zijn concurrentiepositie in gevaar kwam. De industriële lobby tegen het voorstel was enorm. De industrie wil de ‘subsidie’ behouden die ze nooit hadden mogen krijgen. Dat is ze gelukt. Zeer teleurstellend. De leden van de EVP, de Europese Vervuilingspartij, heulden mee met deze lobby. Ze zorgden ervoor dat het ETS-systeem helemaal uitgehold wordt en dat de prijs van een ton uitstoot CO2 absoluut onder de marktprijs blijft. Die is nu nauwelijks 5 euro voor de uitstoot van een ton CO2: ontoereikend om innovatie te stimuleren. Daarvoor is minstens 40 euro per ton nodig. Een grondige herziening is vereist. Een goed functionerend ETS is cruciaal, willen we de klimaatbeloften van Parijs realiseren.
Control of the Register and composition of the Commission's expert groups (A8-0002/2017 - Dennis de Jong) NL
Deskundigengroepen spelen een belangrijke rol bij de totstandkoming van wetsvoorstellen door de Europese Commissie. Naar aanleiding van klachten van ngo’s als Transparancy International en ALTER-EU over de onevenwichtige samenstelling van deze groepen kwam het Europees Parlement in 2015 al met een studie naar buiten waaruit bleek dat er sprake is van een gebrek aan transparantie. Daarnaast zijn de experts van grote multinationals in deze deskundigengroepen oververtegenwoordigd, iets wat het democratisch gehalte van het overleg allesbehalve ten goede komt.Daarom kwam de parlementaire Commissie begrotingscontrole met een initiatiefverslag waarin een aantal aanbevelingen aan de Europese Commissie wordt gedaan. We manen de Commissie aan werk te maken van een evenwichtiger samenstelling van de deskundigengroepen, dit door geval per geval de samenstelling te gaan bepalen en ook niet-economische sectoren, vakbonden en andere maatschappelijke groepen meer inspraak te geven. Daarnaast moet ook de transparantie verbeteren door alle studies, verslagen en andere noodzakelijke documenten openbaar te maken. Dit kan de inspraak van de burger en het toezicht door geïnteresseerden en de pers alleen maar ten goede komen. Ik kan me dan ook volledig vinden in dit verslag.
The role of whistleblowers in the protection of EU´s financial interests (A8-0004/2017 - Dennis de Jong) NL
In de nasleep van de Panama Papers, LuxLeaks en andere schandalen over allerhande gesjoemel is het belangrijk dat de EU stappen zet richting de erkenning en de juridische bescherming van klokkenluiders. Ze zorgen voor het aanbrengen van gevoelige en geheime informatie en zijn daarom cruciaal in het vergroten van de transparantie. Zo kan een einde gemaakt worden aan de geheimhouding. Heel wat klokkenluiders vrezen een veroordeling waardoor ze in de praktijk geheime informatie niet durven delen. Dit initiatief vestigt de aandacht op hun belang, wat ik toejuich. Het sluit daarenboven nauw aan bij het EULeaks-initiatief dat ik samen met 12 andere parlementsleden ondernam. Er is dus behoefte aan een klokkenluidersregeling. Het Europees Parlement erkent het belang van klokkenluiders bij het vrijwaren van de financiële EU-belangen. De Europese Commissie slaagde er tot nu toe niet in een wetsvoorstel te lanceren Dat was nochtans een van onze eisen bij de stemming van de EU-wetgeving over de bescherming van bedrijfsgeheimen. De Commissie moet uiterlijk eind 2017 met een voorstel op de proppen komen. Concreet gaat het onder andere over de oprichting van een onafhankelijk EU-orgaan in iedere lidstaat dat de informatie van klokkenluiders verwerkt en hen van advies zal voorzien.
Imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by specific Union import rules (A8-0311/2016 - Hannu Takkula) NL
Wit-Rusland nam recentelijk enkele positieve initiatieven. De vrijlating van politieke gevangenen is er één van. Dat zorgt ervoor dat de handelsrelatie met Europa verbeterde. Als beloning stelt de Commissie dan ook voor om de hoeveelheid invoer van textiel en kleding afkomstig uit het land niet langer aan een maximum te koppelen.Hoewel we geen ambitie hebben om dit cadeau van Wit-Rusland af te pakken, willen we als groene fractie er toch op wijzen dat dit signaal van de Commissie geheel onterecht is. Naast het feit dat de voormalige politieke gevangenen nog steeds geen rechten hebben, is er vanuit de overheid ook nog geen enkele institutionele stap gezet om vrijheid van bijeenkomst of meningsuiting te verzekeren. Integendeel, kritiek uiten staat gelijk aan gearresteerd worden. Daarbij komt dat de doodstraf nog steeds bestaat. Het aantal executies nam zelfs toe in 2016.Aangezien deze praktijken regelrecht ingaan tegen de mensenrechten en onze poging om dit in de effectieve tekst te vermelden, stem ik tegen dit rapport.
Logistics in the EU and multimodal transport in the new TEN-T corridors (A8-0384/2016 - Inés Ayala Sender) NL
Dit initiatiefrapport streeft naar een efficiënt en duurzaam goederenvervoer in Europa, waarbij verschillende vormen van transport in de transportketen geïntegreerd worden. Een nieuwe EU-strategie voor de logistiek achter die efficiëntere integratie van vervoerswijzen is hoognodig, net zoals het upgraden van de bestaande infrastructuur.Het rapport verwijst dankzij groene amendementen terecht naar meer steun voor de spoorwegindustrie, meer en betere treinverbindingen naar industriële sites, groener vrachtvervoer in steden en het vervangen van een deel van het reguliere vervoer over de weg door andere, meer duurzame vormen van transport zoals langs het spoor of via duurzame waterwegen. Het is niet de bedoeling dat waterwegen nodeloos verbreed worden ten koste van natuur, of dat grote vervuilende schepen het transport langs de weg zouden vervangen. Deze meer duurzame vormen van transport kunnen 30% vertegenwoordigen tegen 2030 en zelfs 50% tegen 2050. Verder is de suggestie om betere opleidings- en arbeidsvoorwaarden te creëren om nieuwe vakmensen aan te trekken een belangrijk punt in dit rapport. Ook voor de digitalisering - en voor de vereenvoudiging van het wetgevend kader hierrond - is er oog. Aangezien bovenstaande elementen in het rapport zijn opgenomen, stemde ik voor.
Major interpellations (1)
Follow-up to the Brazilian meat imports scandal PDF (195 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Written questions (164)
Scandal involving espionage and sabotage operations against political opponents in Spain PDF (46 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Use of Article 116 of the TFEU in the context of tax reform proposals PDF (45 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Establishment of a labelling scheme based on animal welfare for meat and/or dairy products PDF (52 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Ethics reviews in the context of the PADR PDF (38 KB) DOC (17 KB)
'No show' clauses and passengers' rights PDF (40 KB) DOC (18 KB)
EU-wide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses for reasons of public safety and security, human and animal health PDF (48 KB) DOC (20 KB)
Online car rentals and concealed costs for consumers PDF (40 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Presence of antimicrobial-resistant genetically modified bacteria in animal feed PDF (102 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Force-feeding in foie gras production PDF (100 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Criminalisation of humanitarian assistance PDF (103 KB) DOC (16 KB)
VP/HR - Causal relationship between the level of ODA used for investments and the number of migrant and refugee arrivals in the EU PDF (103 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Imports of products obtained through non-exempt mutagenesis-related techniques PDF (173 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Implementation of the obligations laid down in Directive 2001/18/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 on non-exempt mutagenesis-related techniques PDF (102 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Implementation by Member States of the obligations laid down in Directive 2001/18/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 on non-exempt mutagenesis-related techniques PDF (104 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Felling of the remainder of Hambach Forest PDF (105 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Violation of judicial independence in Spain and Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights - violation of Articles 6 and 47-49 of the EU Charter and of Directive 2016/343 PDF (107 KB) DOC (20 KB)
Safety and speed limits for quadricycles PDF (5 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Confirmation by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment of environmental risks associated with artificial grass pitches PDF (104 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Poultry post mortem and Campylobacter PDF (77 KB) DOC (18 KB)
EU trade with Israeli settlements PDF (101 KB) DOC (18 KB)
VP/HR - Follow-up on the Council's conclusions on Myanmar of 26 February 2018 and its decision 2018/655 PDF (199 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Use of asbestos by European companies PDF (103 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Cheating software for emissions systems PDF (103 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Traceability arrangements for 'new breeding techniques' PDF (104 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Detention of unaccompanied children in police station cells in Greece PDF (200 KB) DOC (19 KB)
Appointment of Martin Selmayr as the Commission's new Secretary-General PDF (104 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Freedom of expression under threat in Spain PDF (198 KB) DOC (21 KB)
Reduced VAT on products from organic farming PDF (4 KB) DOC (17 KB)
False information and misleading communication about the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) programme PDF (102 KB) DOC (20 KB)
Misuse of the European Arrest Warrant by Spain PDF (194 KB) DOC (20 KB)
Unpaid internships at the Commission PDF (194 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Failure of the Commission to answer E-003392/17 on EU funds for the development of drones PDF (104 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Measures to support Member States with long-term and youth unemployment rates above the Eurozone average PDF (199 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Glyphosate residues and imports PDF (193 KB) DOC (20 KB)
Violence employed by the Spanish police in Catalonia PDF (99 KB) DOC (20 KB)
Truffle oil PDF (5 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Environmental risks associated with artificial turf sports pitches containing rubber granulate PDF (6 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Formaldehyde in animal feed PDF (103 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Questions following Global Witness report on Zimbabwe diamond sector and possible violations of EU measures PDF (103 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Application of Relocation Decisions 2015/1523 and 2015/1601 ahead of their expiration date (26 September 2017) PDF (196 KB) DOC (21 KB)
VP/HR - Release of Ebtisam al-Saegh PDF (4 KB) DOC (15 KB)
TEN-T: Conditions regarding environmental remediation measures PDF (103 KB) DOC (15 KB)
Criteria used to assess the self-regulatory approach on the labelling of alcoholic beverages PDF (102 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Failure to respect the Cartagena Protocol regarding the export of products obtained through so called 'new breeding techniques' PDF (103 KB) DOC (16 KB)
PCE/PEC - Recognition of citizenship rights of UK citizens in other EU Member States and agreement on non-UK EU citizens' rights in the UK PDF (194 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Transparency about EU funds for the development of drones and about a human rights impact assessment PDF (102 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Glyphosate PDF (98 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Banning horsemeat on grounds of animal welfare and traceability PDF (102 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Horsemeat imports from Canada PDF (5 KB) DOC (16 KB)
VP/HR - Commission plans to cooperate with Libya on migration issues PDF (193 KB) DOC (18 KB)
Measures to improve the safety of artificial grass pitches PDF (5 KB) DOC (15 KB)
Spread of antibiotic resistance PDF (5 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Food safety and nutrition in 2050 PDF (98 KB) DOC (15 KB)
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) PDF (99 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Exports of dirty diesel from the EU to West African countries PDF (5 KB) DOC (15 KB)
LAW-TRAIN: follow-up PDF (101 KB) DOC (17 KB)
EIB support for businesses in Export Processing Zones PDF (98 KB) DOC (15 KB)
ILO standards in EIB interventions PDF (4 KB) DOC (15 KB)
Spanish Minister of Home Affairs involved in a conspiracy scandal PDF (102 KB) DOC (19 KB)
European aid for Turkey PDF (5 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Elimination of non-tariff measures PDF (104 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Banning horsemeat on animal welfare grounds PDF (103 KB) DOC (15 KB)
Banning certain active substances of plant protection products PDF (7 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Monitoring of genetically modified plant by notifiers after patent expiration PDF (6 KB) DOC (16 KB)
EU reconstruction aid for Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Matthew PDF (195 KB) DOC (17 KB)
EU reconstruction aid to Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Matthew PDF (195 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Crumb rubber pellets in artificial turf PDF (5 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Automatic blocking of other manufacturers' toner cartridges PDF (5 KB) DOC (17 KB)
LAW-TRAIN in Horizon 2020 PDF (103 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Market surveillance at the Port of Rotterdam PDF (5 KB) DOC (16 KB)
VP/HR - Israel targets Broederlijk Delen, Brigitte Herremans PDF (103 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Glyphosate-tolerant genetically modified crops and the resulting health impacts PDF (100 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Glyphosate-tolerant genetically modified crops and the resulting health impacts PDF (5 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Research into alternatives to forced feeding in the production of foie gras PDF (100 KB) DOC (17 KB)
Decision process regarding the authorisation for use in food and feed of plant-based products obtained through so-called 'new breeding techniques' PDF (103 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Access to asylum and legal representation in connection with inadmissibility recommendations issued by the European Asylum Support Office PDF (190 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Compliance with legislation on the labelling of nanomaterials PDF (188 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Foie gras: studies on alternative methods not including 'gavage' PDF (103 KB) DOC (16 KB)
Milk Market Observatory PDF (5 KB) DOC (15 KB)
Calorie labels showing equivalent activity levels PDF (5 KB) DOC (15 KB)
Instruments to limit supply in agriculture PDF (101 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Compliance of EU-Turkey deal with the non-refoulement principle PDF (193 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Measures to prevent cruelty to animals in the EU PDF (5 KB) DOC (23 KB)
Biased glyphosate residue levels in food PDF (194 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Clarification of EU Directive 2009/128 (Article 12) PDF (103 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Trade Agreements and the funding of the EU budget PDF (104 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Environmental noise: high-frequency sounds and low humming sounds PDF (5 KB) DOC (24 KB)
VP/HR - Israel's separation wall in Palestine: legality of EU funding of security firm Elbit PDF (157 KB) DOC (25 KB)
VP/HR - Lack of EU reaction to Israel's settlements expansion PDF (157 KB) DOC (25 KB)
The role of Cohesion Policy in tackling the refugee crisis PDF (92 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Voluntary 'GMO-free' food information PDF (103 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Semantics, implementation and control regarding Articles 4.7 and 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 PDF (100 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Interpretation of 'available means' in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 PDF (100 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Compatibility between Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and Directive 2009/128/EC PDF (100 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Methodology used in Article 4.7 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 PDF (99 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Derogations under Article 4.7 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 PDF (5 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Commission investigation (Case No 39824) into trucks cartel PDF (5 KB) DOC (23 KB)
Urgent need to reduce the impact of livestock on climate change PDF (194 KB) DOC (27 KB)
VP/HR - EU-Saudi Arabia relationship PDF (197 KB) DOC (28 KB)
Research on alternatives to force-feeding in the production of foie gras PDF (100 KB) DOC (23 KB)
European Parliament recommendations on the sustainable development chapter of TTIP ignored by the Commission PDF (103 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Link between artificial sweeteners and metabolic disorders PDF (105 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Labelling of alcoholic beverages to indicate nutritional content and additives PDF (102 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Food safety concerns regarding Canadian horsemeat imports PDF (5 KB) DOC (23 KB)
Ban on bulk sale of olive oil in reduced-packaging supermarkets PDF (103 KB) DOC (25 KB)
TTIP, public healthcare, GMOs, use of hormones in bovine sector and REACH PDF (5 KB) DOC (24 KB)
EU role in the lack of safety of Ukrainian nuclear plants PDF (105 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Transparency of guarantees (Directive 1999/44/EC) and economic life of products PDF (102 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Humanitarian crisis in North Kivu: time for action PDF (5 KB) DOC (23 KB)
The Juncker investment plan should not support the Oosterweel link PDF (6 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Bike ban on European trains PDF (102 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Noise nuisance from aviation: what steps is the Commission taking? PDF (106 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Phytosanitary certification for impregnated wood PDF (102 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Illegal logging in Romania PDF (104 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Industrially produced trans fatty acids (ITFAs) in food PDF (193 KB) DOC (24 KB)
VP/HR - Israeli military training in the occupied Palestinian territory PDF (102 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Time to stop the cultivation of genetically engineered maize MON810 PDF (107 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Terms of reference and time frame for JRC study to establish the current state of EU regulation in paper and card food packaging PDF (100 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Revision of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 relating to fertilisers PDF (100 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Report entitled 'A Decade of EU-Funded GMO Research: 2001-2010' PDF (105 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Inconsistency of the use of neonicotinoids with European policy PDF (105 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Employment of Palestinian children in Israeli businesses on the West Bank PDF (106 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Preventing the spread of a new disease in European amphibians PDF (106 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Annual EFSA study of pesticide residues in food PDF (103 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Patent right to plants derived from conventional breeding PDF (103 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Impediment to recycling ink and toner cartridges PDF (105 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Illegal logging and lack of enforcement of the EU Timber Regulation PDF (6 KB) DOC (25 KB)
End of the common position on Cuba PDF (195 KB) DOC (27 KB)
VP/HR - Netanyahu's rejection of a two-state solution PDF (106 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Commission's lack of enforcement of the regulation on nutrient profiles PDF (103 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Morocco's phosphate mining in Western Sahara PDF (103 KB) DOC (26 KB)
GRACE (GMO Risk Assessment and Communication of Evidence) and GM-TwYST (Genetically modified plants Two Year Safety Testing) PDF (102 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Problems with Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) PDF (6 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Establishment of a European anti-propaganda agency to fight radicalisation PDF (101 KB) DOC (24 KB)
British American Tobacco released from 'any civil claims arising out of past conduct relating to illicit trade' PDF (102 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Administration of antibiotics to humans and animals, causing resistance PDF (6 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Targeted restrictive measures against persons or entities which undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Palestine PDF (5 KB) DOC (23 KB)
Illegal trade in Barbary macaques PDF (190 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Speed limit on European roads: good for people and the environment PDF (105 KB) DOC (25 KB)
The use of dental amalgam containing mercury and the adverse consequences for the environment and health PDF (105 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Derogations from requirements of the Nitrates Directive and Water Framework Directive for several Member States PDF (100 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Reopening of rail line from De Panne (Belgium) to Dunkirk (France) PDF (100 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Coca-Cola Iberian Partners' redundancy plan PDF (195 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Law on Public Safety PDF (104 KB) DOC (25 KB)
VP/HR - Consistent implementation of EU non-recognition policy PDF (100 KB) DOC (23 KB)
Need for protection of social rights PDF (193 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Protection of immovable heritage as a European competence PDF (102 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Call for an immediate ban on diclofenac and review of risk assessment PDF (6 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Pollution of waste water with medical residues PDF (104 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Fraudulent use of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) in Hungary PDF (189 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Enforcement of the European code of conduct on partnership within the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds in Hungary PDF (93 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Separation of functions pertaining to the management and control systems for the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds in Hungary PDF (186 KB) DOC (26 KB)
VP/HR - Self-determination and statehood in Western Sahara PDF (196 KB) DOC (26 KB)
Israeli and Palestinian participation in the ICC Statute PDF (99 KB) DOC (23 KB)
Mechanisms of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and international humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory PDF (164 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Inefficiency of European action on an eco-label for tourist accommodation PDF (5 KB) DOC (24 KB)
VP/HR - Inventory of European development aid in the Palestinian Territories and its destruction by the Israeli army PDF (5 KB) DOC (24 KB)
EMODE - a new, user-friendly, scientific species assessment system PDF (99 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Covenant on Demographic Change for older people PDF (5 KB) DOC (24 KB)
VP/HR - European response to illegal destruction of European aid by the Israeli army in the Palestinian Territories PDF (5 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Tobacco agreements and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control PDF (102 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Minimum number of in-calf cows required for suckler cow premium PDF (102 KB) DOC (24 KB)
Soybean Intacta proves EFSA's risk assessment deficit PDF (104 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Ban on genetically modified soybean Intacta PDF (7 KB) DOC (25 KB)
Written declarations (11)
Amendments (2473)
Amendment 32 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the extremely rapid career of the new Secretary-General who in a period of slightly more than 13 years, has progressed from AD6 to AD15, out of which he spent 8 years in different cabinets; questions the true intentions of a selection procedure where the new Secretary-General was appointed Principal Adviser to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with effect as of 1 June 2014 as it might not have served the purpose of filling this vacancy in the first place, but rather of providing a grade AD14 as an official in his basic career for the post he never occupied;
Amendment 36 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 5
5. NotStresses that, according to the Commission, the three previous Secretaries-General became Director, Director-General and Head of Cabinet before being transferred to the function of Secretary-General, whereas the new Secretary-General did not perform any management task in the Commission services; points out, in particular, that on 21 February 2018 he was not Deputy Secretary-General in function;
Amendment 42 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that the Commission used the same procedure of transfer under Article 7 of the Staff Regulations for the three previous Secretaries-General (transfer with post rather than transfer in the strict sense); nevertheless underlines that none of the previous Secretaries-General were appointed successively Deputy Secretary- General and Secretary-General during the same College meeting;
Amendment 52 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 11
11. NotStresses that the replies given by the Commission show that the President and his Head of Cabinet had been aware since 2015 of the intention of the former Secretary-General to retire soon after 1 March 2018, which he reconfirmed in early 2018; underlines that this knowledge would have allowed for a regular appointment procedure for his successor by one of the two public procedures foreseen by the Staff Regulations: (1) appointment by the College following publication of the post and selection procedure under Article 29 of the Staff Regulation; or, (2) transfer in the interest of the service pursuant to Article 7 of the Staff Regulations, equally upon publication of the post in order to allow any interested official to apply for such transfer;
Amendment 59 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 12
12. Underlines that by opting for the procedure under transfer of Article 7 of the Staff Regulations in the form of reassignment of the newly appointed Deputy Secretary-General with his post to the position of Secretary-General, it was possible to avoid publishing the vacant post of the retiring former Secretary- General; notes that the same procedure was used for the appointments of previous Secretaries-General; stresses, however, that this tradition of non-publication has reached its limits insofar as it does not correspond anymore to modern standards of transparency the Commission, the European Parliament and other EU institutions should abide to;
Amendment 65 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 13
13. Notunderlines that only the President, the Commissioner responsible for Budget and Human Resources, the First Vice- President and the former and new Secretaries- General knew in advance of the meeting of the College of Commissioners of 21 February 2018 that the proposal for the immediate appointment of the new Secretary-General by way of transfer of the newly appointed Deputy Secretary-General with his post would be made during the meeting;
Amendment 69 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 15
15. Is deeply concerned that this way of proceeding with the appointment of the new Secretary-General could cast doubt on the preceding procedure of appointment to Deputy Secretary-General insofar as it might not have served the purpose of filling this vacancy in the first place, but rather of allowing for the transfer of this post to the post of Secretary-General under Article 7 of the Staff Regulations without publication of the post; considers that, although such a way of proceeding might satisfy purely formal requirements, it nevertheless runs against the spirit of the Staff Regulations and prevents any competition for the post by other eligible staff;
Amendment 86 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Stresses that the Parliament can’t find any “serious and urgent situation”, as explained by the Parliament’s Legal service, to justify the use of the procedure of reassignment under Article 7 of the Staff Regulations without publication of the post;
Amendment 87 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18 b. Reiterates that by “Transfer in the interest ofthe service” as a means to fill a post, Article 7 of the Staff Regulation mustbe read in conjunction with Article 4 - in principle a post that falls freemust be published as there are no exceptions stated in the statute and filledby “the most competent officials” which can only be appointed through selectionprocedure;
Amendment 90 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18 c. Stresses the fact that the College of Commissioners themselves decided to directly appoint Mr. Selmayr as the new secretary General before the post would even be vacant thus far dismisses the Commission’s statement that there was no vacant post of the Secretary General’s position;
Amendment 91 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 18 d (new)
18 d. Expects from the Commission to cancel the recent appointment of the new Secretary General and Starts a new appointment procedure under the procedure provided for in Article 29 of the Staff Regulations thus allowing for all eligible staff to compete for the position;
Amendment 92 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 18 e (new)
18 e. Calls on the European Parliament to postpone the Commission’s 2016 discharge until the Commission carries out an appointment procedure provided for in Article 29 of the Staff Regulations;
Amendment 117 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the Commission to review, before the end of 2018, its administrative procedure for the appointment of senior officials with the objective of fully ensuring that the best candidates are selected in a framework of maximum transparency and equal opportunities, thereby also setting an example for the other European institutions by introducing open competition procedures for all positions to become the new norm in all levels of EU institutions, whereby the current exceptions applying to the highest officials have to be removed from the Staff regulation and whereby any appointments to betaken by the College of Commissioners have to be known to all Commissioners and included in the college agenda at least one week in advance;
Amendment 123 #
2018/2624(RSP)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. calls on the Commission, the European Parliament, the Council and other EU Institutions to apply open and transparent selection procedures for all officials, seniors officials included, with the objective to select the best candidates throughout a framework that guarantees maximum transparency and equal opportunities for all eligible candidates;
Amendment 8 #
2018/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Notes that a group of Members of the European Parliament filed a lawsuit against the Authority on grounds of limiting of access to documents in the “glyphosate "case; calls on the Authority to fully implement the ruling of the Court of Justice immediately once it is known;
Amendment 29 #
2018/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Calls for a mediation between the former internal auditor of the Committee and the Committee with the aim to find an amicable settlement in the ongoing dispute in the interest of both parties; points out that such a mediation should also address the bona-fide whistle-blower status of the former internal auditor (as recognised by the Parliament in its resolution of 2004) and the fact that he was acting in the interests of the EU by reporting wrongdoings to the EU institutions;
Amendment 55 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Takes note ofNotes with concern that the Court’s opinion is that there is necessity for improvement in the Commission’s actions to safeguard Union revenue in order to address weaknesses in its management of the risk of under-valued imports in relation to TOR and in its verifications on the VAT-based own resource;
Amendment 56 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 – introductory part
Paragraph 11 – introductory part
11. Expresses serious concern that these weaknesses may affect the Member States’ contributions to the EU budget; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to:
Amendment 59 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes with concern that for the second year in a row, DG Budget set a reservation on the value of TOR collected by the UK, due to the country’s failure to make available to the EU budget evaded customs duties on textiles and footwear imports;
Amendment 63 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes the infringement procedure initiated by the Commission on 8 March 2018 as a follow-up to the UK customs fraud case, but regrets that it took the Commission more than 7 years to launch this procedure after its request to the UK in 2011 to set risk profiles for under-valued textiles and footwear imports from China; calls on the Commission to approach such cases with no hesitation and unnecessary delays in future;
Amendment 66 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Points out that in 2017, 99,.3 % of the amount available for commitments was implemented (EUR 158,.7 billion), but stresses that the executed payments were only EUR 124,.7 billion, considerably lower than budgeted and Member States’ absorption rate lower than in the corresponding year of the 2007-2013 multiannual programme period, mainly due to Member States submitting fewer claims than anticipated for the multiannual programmes of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF); calls on the Commission to provide the Member States with the maximum support to improve on their absorption rates;
Amendment 67 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Is deeply concerned that in 2017 the outstanding budgetary commitments increased to a new record of EUR 267,.3 billion (2016: EUR 238,.8 billion) and that the Court projections indicate this amount will rise even more by the end of the current MFF, which may lead to a significantly increased risk of insufficient payment appropriations, but also to a risk of errors under the pressure for a swift absorption given a potential loss of Union funding; stresses the fact that the EU budget is not allowed to run on deficit and that the growing payments backlog in fact represents a financial debt;
Amendment 74 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission to improve the accuracy of the payment forecast and to use the lessons learned from the previous programming period in order to deal with the accumulated backlog of payments and avoid its negative effect on the next MFF and to present the Action Plan on reducing the payments backlog during the 2020 - 2027 multiannual financial framework;
Amendment 75 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. RegretsStresses its deep concern that the overall financial exposure of the Union budget has grown, with significant long- term liabilities, guarantees and legal obligations implying that careful management needs to be applied in the future; calls, therefore, on the Commission when presenting legislative proposals that include the creation or addition of sizeable contingent liabilities to accompany them with an overview of the total value of contingent liabilities supported by the budget, as well as with an analysis of stress test scenarios and their possible impact on the budget;
Amendment 82 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Observes with satisfaction that the Court found very few public procurement errors in 2017: less than 1 % (2016 - 18 %), but notes that the reason for this could be the relatively low level of expenditure accepted under the ERDF and the CF, which used to be more prone to errors in public procurement; calls on the Commission and Member States not to weaken, but to continue strengthening their vigilance on the correct implementation of the public procurement rules;
Amendment 90 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes with satisfaction that, in the area of energy efficiency and renewables, more than 2,000 MW of additional capacity of renewable energy production was created, and greenhouse emissions were reduced by close to 3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents until the end of 2016; stresses though that more must be done in order to achieve goals from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement;
Amendment 94 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Expresses concern that the Court identified and quantified 36 errors in its sample of 217 transactions for 2017, which audit authorities in Member States had not detected, and that the number and the impact of these errors indicate persisting weaknesses with the regularity of the expenditure declared by managing authorities; calls on the Commission to work even closer with managing authorities of individual member States on detecting these errors and by doing so specifically target those most frequent;
Amendment 98 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. RDeeply regrets that, in the context of financial instruments, the auditors were not able to verify the selection and implementation of investments at financial intermediary level, where a number of irregularities occurred, accounting for 1% of the estimated level of error for the area of “Economic, social and territorial cohesion”;
Amendment 107 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Notes with great concern that the Court found a persistently high level of error in areas corresponding to one quarter of the budget for ‘Natural Resources’, which includes the expenditure for market measures, rural development, environment, climate action and fisheries under the EAGF; notes in addition that the main sources of error were non-compliance with eligibility conditions, the provision of inaccurate information on areas and non- compliance with agro-environmental commitments; stresses that such errors should be better detected by the managing authorities of individual Member States or in cases when the ex-post audits point to these errors the samples for future audits and on-site checks should be updated to provide for a better controls;
Amendment 110 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Calls on the Commission to assess the effectiveness of the Member States’ actions to address the underlying causes of these errors and to issue further guidance or direct help where necessary;
Amendment 112 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Notes with great concern that the results of the cross compliance on the spot checks made by DG AGRI are worrying, and in particular that 47 % of the total number of on the spot checks has led to sanctions; asks the Commission to check the implementation of the remedial action taken by Member State authorities where it found it could place no or limited reliance on the certification body’s work;
Amendment 120 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
Amendment 124 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Paragraph 43 a (new)
43a. Notes in that the number of returnees co-financed by the AMIF was 48 250 in 2017 compared to 5 904 in 2014, and that of those returned, the share of non-voluntary returns has increased from one quarter (25 %) in 2014 to half (50 %) in 2017, while the reported number of persons who returned voluntarily was 17 736 in 2017; stresses that although the numbers of returns rose significantly the Commission should do its upmost to double check that non- voluntary returns are fully justified;
Amendment 148 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Points out that for 2017, the Court found the highest estimated level of error in spending under “Competitiveness for growth and jobs”, at 4,2 %; notes that these are expenditures managed directly by the Commission, and for which the Commission is solely and directly accountable; expects that the Commission adopts an urgent Action Plan to improve the situation and implements all measures at its disposal to lower the level of error in spending;
Amendment 149 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Notes that for 2017, the Court has not calculated an error rate for the Union funds spent under heading 4 of the MFF “Global Europe” and that this decision was taken following the general strategy of the Court to reduce its substantive testing and partially rely on the so-called “work of others”; calls on the Court to check and calculate an error rate again for 2018;
Amendment 151 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Notes with concern the fact that the Court considered that the RER studies were only broadly fit for purpose whilst having concerns about the quality of those studies; stresses the fact that the Commission is using more than 10 different methodologies to calculate the error rate of their payments which does not contribute to better transparency and accountability of the Commission but, to the opposite, only blurs the true value of the error rates; calls on the Commission to use the same methodology when calculating the error rate as the Court does;
Amendment 155 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62
Paragraph 62
62. Noticed that the Annual Activity Report (AAR) of the Directorate General (DG) RTD mentioned 6 different error rates, three for FP7 and three for Horizon 2020; stresses that such an approach does not facilitate transparency and accountability and should be improved immediately; accepts however that two different programmes under two different financial periods were concerned;
Amendment 156 #
Amendment 158 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. Notes with satisfaction that the budget managed by DG HOME and its number of staff have been increased in order to cope with the increased activities in the context of the migration crisis and threats to the internal security; in terms of human resources, at the end of 2017, DG HOME had 556 staff members, compared to 480 in 2016;
Amendment 160 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
66. Is concerned by the significant weaknesses identified in the management and control systems of EASO that justified the adoption of a reservation on reputational grounds; stresses though that DG HOME has promptly reacted by introducing a co-decision process by the executive board and put in place new management of EASO to bring the situation under control;
Amendment 163 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
71. Notes with concern that the Court found that the RER studies have certain limitations, as they are studies and not audits and so do not follow International Audit Standards and include very limited checks on public procurement; calls on the Commission to use the same methodology as the Court when assessing the error rate;
Amendment 180 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82
Paragraph 82
82. Notes that in its Special report 27/2018 on the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, the Court found that, in a challenging context, the Facility for Refugees in Turkey rapidly mobilised EUR 3 billion to provide a swift response to the refugee crisis, but did not fully achieve its objective of coordinating this response effectively, or achieving sufficient value for money;
Amendment 187 #
2018/2166(DEC)
85. Is not satisfied by the Commission’s reactions to the media and general public immediately after the appointment took place, or by Commission’s explanations offered at the debate during the parliament’s plenary, or by written reaction to Parliament’s resolution from 18 April 2018, which all demonstrates a lack of sensitivity for the importance European citizens attach to transparent, fair and open recruitment procedures;
Amendment 195 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87
Paragraph 87
87. WelcomesTakes into account the fact that Commissioner Oettinger organised an inter-institutional round table on senior management selection and appointment on 25 September 2018, although the meeting seems to have been inconclusive; calls therefore on the Commission to put in practice paragraph 29 of its resolution on integrity policy in the Commission;
Amendment 197 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 88
Paragraph 88
88. Calls on all European institutions to review, where necessary, their nomination procedures, in particular for senior officials, based on the principles of fairness, transparency and equal opportunity, and to report back to the European Parliament by 31 August 2019 on the progress made;
Amendment 198 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 89
Paragraph 89
89. HighlightNotes that the European Schools received EUR 189.9 million from the European budget in 2017;
Amendment 207 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94
Paragraph 94
94. Insisted that the planning, implementation and reporting on the achieved results of the European Union budget should be policy driven;
Amendment 209 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 95
Paragraph 95
95. Insisted that the implementation of the European Union budget should focus on results and achieving broader positive outcomes and that the structure of the EU budget should be modified to provide for measuring progress and performance;
Amendment 211 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 96
Paragraph 96
96. Encouraged, in this context, the Commission and the Court to pay greater attention to results and broader outcomes achieved, performance audits and the final impact of policies;
Amendment 217 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102
Paragraph 102
102. Advocated that environmental requirements should be reinforced, that income support should be more fairly allocated with progressive payments scheme favourable to small farms and sustainable and environmentally friendly farming and that the CAP should urgently and definitively be made more attractive to young farmers;
Amendment 221 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 103
Paragraph 103
103. Called on the CAP to become more competitivenvironmentally-sensible whilst farmer- friendly;
Amendment 223 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111
Paragraph 111
111. Insists that this report should analyse the impact of commitments to the size of payments’ backlog of a given Multiannual Financial Framework;
Amendment 224 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 113
Paragraph 113
113. Wonders why the Commission uses two sets of objectives and indicators to measure the performance of financial management: on the one hand, the Commission’s Directors-General evaluate the achievement of the objectives defined in their management plan in their AARs, and, on the other, the Commission measures the performance of spending programmes via the programme statements of operational expenditure annexed to the draft budget; calls on the Commission to make its reporting based on single set of objectives and indicators;
Amendment 226 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 115
Paragraph 115
115. Points out that there is no requirement for DGs or the Commission to explain in their performance reports how they used performance information in decision-making; calls on the Commission to include such information in their future performance reports;
Amendment 227 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 115
Paragraph 115
115. Points out that there is no requirement for DGs or the Commission to explain in their performance reports how they used performance information in decision-making; calls on the Commission to include such information in their future performance reports;
Amendment 250 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 123
Paragraph 123
123. In this regard, asks the Commission to harmonise its methods for calculating error rates with the Court and to clearly distinguish the amount at risk with and without integrated financial corrections; requests also that the Commission present information about the corrective capacity for recovering unduly payments from the EU budget;
Amendment 258 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 129
Paragraph 129
129. Notes that the slow absorption of funds remains a problem in some countries; is therefore of the opinion that it is appropriate to leave the “Task Force for Better Implementation” in place; notes also that the Commission has created a “Catching-up Regions” initiative; in this context, points to the risk of can not stress enough the risk of potential political and financial damage caused by accumulating a huge backlog of commitment appropriations by the end of the financial term;
Amendment 259 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 46
Subheading 46
Conflicts of interest and fight against fraud and corruption
Amendment 267 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 130 a (new)
Paragraph 130 a (new)
130a. In this regard calls on the Commission to fully investigates the Conflict of Interests of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic as demanded by the parliament’s resolution of December 2018;
Amendment 271 #
2018/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 132 a (new)
Paragraph 132 a (new)
132a. Calls on the Commission to also conduct a regular assessment of the anti corruption policies in the Member States; and to publish an annual report with key findings and recommendations; also highlights that an independent external assessment of the anti corruption policies of the EU institutions themselves should be conducted on a regular basis with a view to eliminating corruption risks;
Amendment 75 #
2018/2110(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Given (i) the high and systematic violations of the Transport Regulation from Member States, and (ii) considering the insufficient resources the Commission invests to carry out official audits on animal welfare during transport, calls on a Committee of Inquiry to be set up to investigate alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Union law in relation to animal welfare during transport within and outside the EU;
Amendment 50 #
2018/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the part-time employment rate in the euro area has remained stable since 2013, and whereas in 2017 part-time work accounted for 21.2 % of all contracts; and whereas in 2016 young people held by far the highest share of temporary contracts, with 43.8% of employees aged 15 to 24 employed under a temporary contract;
Amendment 119 #
2018/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Member States to ensure the long-termintergenerational equity, by developing sustainability ofle pension systems that do no, in which adequate pensions are provided for the elderly, without overburdening the younger generation, and to reduce the risk of poverty in old age; calls on the Member States to reform their contributory systems to ensure they can better adapt to the reality of people’s employment trajectories, including by ensuring that temporary work, as well as internships and apprenticeships, are counted as working time giving rise to pension entitlements, and therefore making it easier to bank enough working time to reach adequate incomes at retirement; notes with concern that in some Member States the gender pension gap, as well as the rate of early retirement, remains high;
Amendment 131 #
2018/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines that adequate skills can be acquired and the skills mismatch tackled by improving the quality and accessibility of education and training particularly for the most vulnerable and the most marginalised, including targeted quality training and reinforcing upskilling and reskilling measures, which require appropriate support, including funding at EU, national and regional level for both formal and non-formal education providers; points to the need to increase the relevance of vocational training to the labour market;
Amendment 139 #
2018/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Underlines the need to pursue reforms that prepare the labour market and its workforce for the digital transformation; highlights the need to modernise national social protection systems to provide adequate protection for employees in new forms of work and with new kinds of contracts as well as improving coverage for those who cannot work and those who are unable to find work;
Amendment 158 #
2018/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the importance of enhancing structured dialogue and consulting with civil society and the participation of employers’ organisations and trade unions in implementing employment and social policies and reforms;
Amendment 2 #
2018/2010(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes note of the many comments made by civil society representatives on 7 December 2016 and those reported in the Commission’s third implementation report, published on 10 October 2017; underlines that the future implementing report should reach Parliament without undue delay in order to allow for adequate and up-to-date monitoring;
Amendment 4 #
2018/2010(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Urges to bring the work of the Trade Joint Subcommittees in line with EU commitments with respect to environmental protection and the Paris agreement, aiming at avoiding harmful demands such as curbing taxes for more potent cars, which contradict climate imperatives and contribute to incentivising better market access for cars with higher pollution rates;
Amendment 6 #
2018/2010(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Underlines the need to respect animal welfare commitments and therefore deplores the pressure put by European Joint Committee members to abolish the rule that meat exported from the EU to Colombia should be from animals born, raised and slaughtered in the same Member State; asks the European Joint Committee members to refrain from any demand potentially contradicting animal welfare imperatives;
Amendment 10 #
2018/2010(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Deplores the continued dependence of the Andean countries on raw materials export, fostered by the market access rules enshrined in the agreement, with an even increased pressure on land and the environment including water, following declining world market prices;
Amendment 12 #
2018/2010(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Deplores that the rules of the Conflict Minerals Directive have not been taken over into the trade agreement; expects for the next implementation report a full analysis of environmental and climate implications of European investments into large scale mining and energy projects;
Amendment 18 #
2018/2010(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Deplores the fact that efforts and commitments concerning working conditions, pollution, deforestation and respect for biodiversity have not borne fruithardly been envisaged;
Amendment 63 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The European Solidarity Corps provides a single entry point for solidarity activities throughout the Union and beyond. Consistency and complementarity should be ensured with other relevant Union policies and programmes. The European Solidarity Corps is built on the strengths and synergies of predecessor and existing programmes, notably the European Voluntary Service19 and the EU Aid Volunteers20. It also complements the efforts made by Member States to support young people and ease their school-to- work transition under the Youth Guarantee by providing them with additional opportunities to make a start on the labour market in the form of traineeships or jobs in solidarity-related areas within their respective Member State or across borders. Complementarity with existing Union level networks pertinent to the activities under the European Solidarity Corps, such as the European Network of Public Employment Services, EURES and the Eurodesk network, and other relevant civil society organisations, including social partners and networks representing young people and volunteers are also ensured. Furthermore, complementarity between existing related schemes, in particular national solidarity schemes and mobility schemes for young people, and the European Solidarity Corps should be ensured, building on good practices where appropriate. _________________ 19 Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50–73). 20 Regulation (EU) No 375/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 establishing the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (‘EU Aid Volunteers initiative’) (OJ L 122, 24.4.2014, p. 1-17).
Amendment 81 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Young people’s spirit of initiative is an important asset for society and for the labour market. The European Solidarity Corps contributes to fostering this aspect by offering young people the opportunity to devise and implement their own projects aimed at addressing specific challenges to the benefit of their local communities. These projects are an opportunity to try out ideas and support young people to be themselves drivers of solidarity actions. They also serve as a springboard for further engagement in solidarity activities and are a first step towards encouraging European Solidarity Corps participants to continue to be active citizens as volunteers, as employees in the solidarity sector, by engageing in self-employment or setting up associations, non-governmental organisations or other bodies active in the solidarity, non-profit and youth sectors.
Amendment 103 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19 a (new)
Recital 19 a (new)
(19a) As a general rule, the grant request will be submitted to the national agency of the country where the organisation is based. Grant requests for activities organised by Europe-wide or international organisations; activities of volunteering teams in priority fields identified at European level; and activities in support of humanitarian aid operations in third countries; will be submitted to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission.
Amendment 113 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The European Solidarity Corps Portal should be further developed taking into account the European Interoperability Framework23, which gives specific guidance on how to set up interoperable digital public services and is implemented in the Member States and other member of the European Economic Area through National Interoperability Frameworks. It offers public administrations 47 concrete recommendations on how to improve governance of their interoperability activities, establish cross-organisational relationships, streamline processes supporting end-to-end digital services, and ensure that both existing and new legislation do not compromise interoperability efforts. Additionally, the Portal should be built according to the standards established by the 2016 EU Web Accessibility Directive. _________________ 23 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - European Interoperability Framework – Implementation Strategy (COM(2017) 134 final).
Amendment 116 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The European Solidarity Corps targets young people aged 186-30, and participation in the activities offered by the European Solidarity Corps should require prior registration in the European Solidarity Corps Portal.
Amendment 120 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Special attention should be given to ensuring that the activities supported by the European Solidarity Corps are accessible to all young people, notably the most disadvantaged ones. Special measures should be in place to promote social inclusion, the participation of disadvantaged young peopleyoung people with fewer opportunities, as well as to take into account the constraints imposed by the remoteness of a number of rural areas and of the outermost regions of the Union and the Overseas Countries and Territories. Similarly, the participating countries should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the European Solidarity Corps. This should resolve, where possible, and without prejudice to the Schengen acquis and Union law on the entry and residence of third-country nationals, administrative issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits and other legal difficulties that could prevent young people’s access to the programme, as well as the issuing of a European Health Insurance Card in the case of cross-border activities within the European Union.
Amendment 135 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 43
Recital 43
(43) Member States should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the Programme. This includes resolving, where possible, and without prejudice to Union law on the entry and residence of third-country nationals issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits and other legal difficulties that could prevent young people’s access to the programme. In line with Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council32, Member States are encouraged to establish fast-track admission procedures. _________________ 32 Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing (OJ L 132, 21.5.2016, p. 21).
Amendment 156 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) ‘young people with fewer opportunities’ means young people facing some obstacles that prevent them from having effective access to opportunities under the Programme for economic, social, cultural, geographical or health reasons or for reasons such as disabilities and educational difficultieindividuals who require additional, targeted support due to discrimination and a heightened risk of social exclusion as a result of various factors, either individually or in combination with each other. Such factors may include, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, health status, geographical obstacles, legal barriers or other status;
Amendment 161 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)
(5a) ‘Hosting organisation’ means a participating organisation which has received a Quality Label habilitating them to host one or more participants in a solidarity activity. Hosting organisations are responsible for making offers for solidarity activities to registered participants, providing a safe and convenient working environment for participants, developing a learning programme in cooperation with participants, providing support to participants during all the phases of the solidarity activity, mentorship, enabling and supporting initiatives and/or projects by participants and reacting to current needs of the participants, setting up an evaluation process and supporting self- reflection, dissemination and promotion of the programme.
Amendment 162 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 b (new)
(5b) ‘Supporting organisation’ means a participating organisation which has received a Quality Label habilitating them to support one or more participants and/or organisations participating in a solidarity activity. Supporting organisations are responsible for making offers for solidarity activities to registered participants, providing support to participants during all the phases of a solidarity activity, risk prevention and management, supporting participants with practical arrangements (such as travel, insurance), pre-departure training and post-activity follow-up and dissemination and promotion of the programme. Supporting organisations also can be responsible for supporting solidarity project participants in their application, management of the grant and general monitoring, quality assurance, reporting, dissemination, promotion of the project.
Amendment 165 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
(6) ‘volunteering’ means a solidarity activity taking place as voluntary unpaid activity, either full-time, part-time or during free time, for a period of up to 12 months;
Amendment 200 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The specific objective of the Programme is to provide young people, including those with fewer opportunities, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities in Europe and abroad while improving and properly validating their competenceprofessional and civic competences, promoting their continuous engagement as active citizens as well as facilitating their employability and transition into the labour market.
Amendment 263 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Young people aged 17 to 30 years willing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps shall register in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. However, at the moment of commencing volunteering, traineeship, job or aYoung people can register from 1 year before they reach the eligible age for participating. At the moment of commencing a placement or a project a registered young person shall be at least: (a) 16 years of age and not older than 30 for solidarity projects a young person shall be at least 18 years of age and not older than 30nd for part-time and free-time in-country volunteering. (b) 18 years of age and not older than 30 for jobs and traineeships and for full- time and cross-border volunteering.
Amendment 290 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Any public or private entity established in a participating country as well as international organisations may apply for funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the activities referred to in Articles 7, 8 and 11, a quality label shall be obtained by the participating organisation as a pre-condition for receiving funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the solidarity projects referred to Article 9, natural persons may also apply for funding on behalf of informal groups of European Solidarity Corps participants. As a general rule, the grant request will be submitted to the national agency of the country where the organisation is based. Grant requests for activities organised by Europe-wide or international organisations; activities of volunteering teams in priority fields identified at European level; activities in support of humanitarian aid operations in third countries; will be submitted to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission.
Amendment 307 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The National Agency shall regularly consult the beneficiaries of the programme (individuals and organisations) in order to collect their feedback on the programme and improve its implementation at national level based on their feedback and expertise.
Amendment 309 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. The Commission shall organise regular meetings with the network of national agencies in order to ensure coherent implementation of the European Solidarity Corps across all participating countries. The Commission shall invite existing Union level networks pertinent to the activities under the European Solidarity Corps, such as the European Network of Public Employment Services, EURES and the Eurodesk network, and other relevant civil society organisations, including social partners and networks representing young people and volunteers.
Amendment 313 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 a (new)
Article 24 a (new)
Amendment 322 #
2018/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. As part of the committee referred in point 1 of this article, relevant civil society organisations including networks representing social partners, young people and volunteers should be included as permanent observers without voting rights in the Programme Committee and their presence laid out in the rules of procedures of the relevant Committee.
Amendment 85 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Title 1
Title 1
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing 'Erasmus+': the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 (Text with EEA relevance)
Amendment 112 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In its Communication on 'A modern budget for a Union that protects, empowers and defends - the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027'26 adopted on 2 May 2018, the Commission called for a stronger “youth” focus in the next financial framework, notably by more than doubling the size of the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ Programme, one of the Union’s most visible success stories. The focus of the new Programme should be on inclusiveness, and to reach more young people with fewer opportunities and promoting the overall personal development of young people as active citizens in diverse and democratic societies. This should allow more young people to move to another country to learn or work. _________________ 26 COM(2018) 321 final. COM(2018) 321 final.
Amendment 133 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The Programme should be coherent with the new European Union youth strategy30, the framework for European cooperation in the youth field for 2019- 2027, based on the Commission's Communication of 22 May 2018 on 'Engaging, connecting and empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy'31, including as regards the strategy’s aspirations to support quality youth work and non-formal learning. This entails attention for mobility, capacity-building, innovation and recognition of youth work and non-formal learning within the context of the 2012 Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. This also calls for the promotion of quality tools and systems that should be used in the training of youth workers and that correspond to the changing circumstances of young people’s lives. These should be embedded in a broader quality approach to empower youth organisations. _________________ 30 [Reference - to be adopted by the Council by the end of 2018]. 31 COM(2018) 269 final.
Amendment 151 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Programme should be more inclusive by improving its outreach to those with fewer opportunities, including through more flexible learning mobility formats, and by fosteringsimplified administrative procedures, youth-friendly and clear information and communication about the programme and by fostering and supporting the participation of smallocal organisations, in particular newcomers and communityvolunteer-based grassroots organisations that work directly with disadvantaged learners of all ages. Simplified procedures, such as accreditation through compliance with quality charters, should be put in place to allow experienced mobility providers to support institutions and organisations with limited resources and capacities, with a view to enhancing outreach, inclusion and quality of learning mobility. Virtual formats, such as virtual cooperation, blended and virtual mobility, should be promoted as a complementary aspect of a physical mobility to reach more participants, in particular those with fewer opportunities and those for whom moving physically to a country other than their country of residence would be an obstacle.
Amendment 178 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) In its Communication on Strengthening European identity through education and culture, the Commission highlighted the pivotal role of education, culture and sport in promoting active citizenship and common values amongst the youngest generations. Strengthening European identity and fostering the active participation of individuals in the democratic processes and civil society is crucial for the future of Europe and our democratic societies. Going abroad to study, learn, train and work or to participate in youth and sport activities contributes to strengthening this European identity in all its diversity and the sense of being part of a cultural community as well as to fostering such active citizenship, among people of all ages. Those taking part in mobility activities should get involved in their local communities, for example by volunteering in local initiatives, as well as engage in their host country local communities to share their experience. Activities linked to reinforcing all aspects of creativity in education, training and youth and enhancing individual key competencies should be supported. The role of civil society organisations, such as youth organisations, is particularly important in achieving this goal through non-formal education and informal learning.
Amendment 203 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) The Programme should encourage youth participation in Europe's democratic life, including by supporting participation projects for young people to engage and learn to participate in civic society, raising awareness about European common values including fundamental rights, bringing together young people and decision makers at local, national and Union level, as well as contributing to the European integration process. The Programme recognises the key role of youth organisations and youth work in reaching this objective and will focus on building a stronger youth sector in Europe by supporting and promoting the operation and projects of youth organisations across Europe and in neighbouring countries, and cooperation with the rest of the world.
Amendment 214 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) The Programme should offer young people more opportunities to discover Europe through learning experiences abroad. Eighteen year oldsYoung people, in particular those with fewer opportunities, should be given the chance to have a first-time, short- term individual or group experience travelling throughout Europe in the frame of an blended informal learning and non-formal educational activity aimed at fostering their sense of belonging to the European Union and, discovering its cultural diversity and fostering intercultural learning and active citizenship education. The Programme should identify bodies in charge of reaching out and selecting the participants and support activities to foster the learning dimension of the experience. The Programme should also integrate the European Capitals of Culture, the European Youth Capitals, the European Volunteering Capitals and European Green Capitals as key partners.
Amendment 255 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) As a way to ensure cooperation with other Union instruments and support to other policies of the Union, mobility opportunities should be offered to people in various sectors of activity, such as the public sector, agriculture and enterprise, to have a learning experience abroad allowing them, at any stage of their life, to grow and develop professionally but also personally, in particular by developing an awareness of their European identity and an understanding of European cultural diversity. The Programme should offer an entry point for Union transnational mobility schemes with a strong learning dimension, simplifying the offer of such schemes for beneficiaries and those taking part in these activities. The scaling-up of Erasmus projects should be facilitated; specific measures should be put in place to help promoters of Erasmus projects to apply for grants or develop synergies through the support of the European Structural and Investment Funds and the programmes relating to migration, security, justice and citizenship, health and culture, as well as the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 296 #
2018/0191(COD)
(44a) As a general rule, grant requests and project applications will be submitted to the national agency of the country where the applicant organisation is based. Grant requests and project applications for activities organised by Union-wide networks, European non-governmental organisations and international organisations should be submitted to and managed by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission.
Amendment 299 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) Member States should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the Programme. This includes resolving, where possible, and without prejudice to Union law on the entry and residence of third-country nationals issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits and other legal difficulties that could prevent young people’s access to the Programme. In line with Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council39, Member States are encouraged to establish fast-track admission procedures. _________________ 39 Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing (OJ L 132, 21.5.2016, p. 21).
Amendment 366 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
(21) ‘youth worker’ means a professional or a volunteer involved in non-formal learning who supports young people in their personal socio-educational and professional development; and the development of their competences. Youth workers together with young people are involved in the planning, steering, coordination, implementation and evaluation of youth work activities and related youth work development.
Amendment 369 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 22
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 22
(22) ‘EU Youth dialogue’ means the dialogue with young people and youth organisations whichinvolving policy- and decision-makers, as well as experts, researchers and other relevant civil society actors, as appropriate. It serves as a forum for continuous joint reflection on the priorities, implementation and follow- up of European cooperation in the youth field;
Amendment 376 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 25
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 25
(25) ‘people with fewer opportunities’ means people facing obstacles that prevent them from having effective access to opportunities under the Programme for economic, social, cultural, geographical or health reasons, a migrant background or for reasons such as disability and educational difficultieindividuals who require additional, targeted support due to discrimination and a heightened risk of social exclusion as a result of various factors, either individually or in combination with each other. Such factors may include disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, health status, geographical obstacles, legal barriers or other status;
Amendment 396 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Programme is to support the educational, professional and personal development of people in education, training, youth and sport, in Europe and beyond, thereby contributing to sustainable growth, jobs and social cohesion, promote active citizenship, participation in democratic life and to strengthening European identity. As such, the Programme shall be a key instrument for building a European education area, supporting the implementation of the European strategic cooperation in the field of education and training, with its underlying sectoral agendas, strengthening the youth sector and advancing youth policy cooperation under the Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 and developing the European dimension in sport.
Amendment 402 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) promote learning mobility of individuals, as well as cooperation, inclusion, excellence, creativity and innovation at the level of organisations and policies in the field of education and training;, through a cross-sectoral approach that enhances synergies between the formal and non-formal education sectors.
Amendment 408 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) promote non-formal learning mobility, intercultural learning, critical thinking, volunteering and active participation among young people, as well as cooperation, quality, inclusion, growth, creativity and innovation at the level of organisations and policies in the field of youth;
Amendment 490 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) policy dialogue, support and cooperation with relevant key stakeholders, including Union-wide networks, European non- governmental organisations, and international organisations in the field of youth, the EU Youth dialogue as well as support to the European Youth Forum;
Amendment 574 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The levels of financial support, such as grants, travel or administrative lump sums, flat rates and unit costs, shall be regularly revised and adjusted to the living and subsistence costs of the host country or region as well as travelling conditions.
Amendment 599 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 18 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. As a general rule, grant requests and project applications shall be submitted to the national agency of the country where the applicant organisation is based. Grant requests and project applications for activities organised by Union-wide networks, European non- governmental organisations and international organisations, shall be submitted to and managed by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission.
Amendment 613 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 a (new)
Article 18 a (new)
Article 18a Inclusion When implementing the Programme, inter alia as regards the selection of participants and the award of scholarships, the Commission and the Member States shall ensure that particular efforts are made to promote social inclusion and the participation of people with special needs or with fewer opportunities. A specific inclusion strategy shall be developed to implement the Programme and inclusion shall be an important element in the programming, monitoring and evaluation.
Amendment 626 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
1. National agencies referred to in Article 24 shall develop a consistent strategy with regard to the effective outreach as well as dissemination and exploitation of results of activities supported under the actions they manage within the Programme, shall assist the Commission in its general task of disseminating information concerning the Programme, including information in respect of actions and activities managed at national and Union level, and its results, and. National agencies shall inform all relevant target groups about the actions and activities undertaken in their country, with a view to enhancing outreach across and cooperation with the wide spectrum of stakeholders and to support a cross- sectoral approach in the Programme’s implementation.
Amendment 637 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2
Article 23 – paragraph 2
2. The Member States shall take all necessary and appropriate measures to remove any legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the Programme, including, where possible, measures aimed at resolving issues that give rise to difficulties in obtaining visas, residence permits and other legal difficulties that could prevent young people’s access to the programme.
Amendment 645 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. The national agency shall regularly consult the beneficiaries of the Programme (individuals and organisations) in order to collect their feedback on the Programme and improve its implementation at national level based on their feedback and expertise.
Amendment 672 #
2018/0191(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 2
Article 31 – paragraph 2
2. The committee may meet in specific configurations to deal with sectoral issues. Where appropriate, in accordance with its rules of procedure and on an ad hoc basis, external experts, including representatives of the social partners, may becivil society organisations and representatives of beneficiaries, shall be regularly invited to participate in its meetings as observers.
Amendment 151 #
2018/0170(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 9 – point -a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 9 – point -a (new)
(-a) the following paragraph 3a is added: (2) The Office shall disclose its reports and recommendations after all related national and Union procedures were concluded by the responsible bodies and the disclosure no longer affects the investigations. The disclosure shall be incompliance with the data protection rules and principles set out in this Article and in Article (1).
Amendment 155 #
2018/0170(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10 – point b
Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Member States shall notify to the Office any rules of national law relevant for the purposes of the third subparagraph. Member States shall notify to the Office in case it rejects admissibility to the evidence collected by the Office. The notification shall include a detailed explanation on the legal basis and the justification of the rejection. If the Office deems the evidence admissible despite the justification of the Member State concerned, it shall notify the Member States of its reasons and initiate a consultation procedure on the specific issue between the Office and the Member State. In case the consultation procedure is not successful the Office shall initiate a consultation about the admissibility of evidence in order to improve the situation. The Office shall in its annual reports evaluate the admissibility of evidence in the Member States.
Amendment 51 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Title 1
Title 1
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the protection of the Union's budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of lawUnion values in the Member States
Amendment 53 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The rule of law is oneUnion is founded ofn the essential values upon which the Union is foundedvalues of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. As recalled by Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, these values are common to the Member States.
Amendment 58 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
Amendment 64 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The rule of law is a prerequisite for the protection of the other fundamental values on which the Union is founded, such as freedom, democracy, equality and respect for human rights. Respect for the rule of law is intrinsically linked to respect for democracy and for fundamental rights: there can be no democracy and respect for fundamental rights without respect for the rule of law and vice versafundamental values on which the Union is founded are intrinsically linked: there can be no hierarchy of values within the Union.
Amendment 67 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Whenever the Member States implement the Union’s budget, and whatever method of implementation they use, respect for the rule of lawUnion values is an essential precondition to comply with the principles of sound financial management enshrined in Article 317 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Amendment 69 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
Amendment 71 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
Amendment 72 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
Amendment 76 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
Amendment 81 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
Amendment 83 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
Amendment 85 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Generalised deficiencies in the Member States as regards the rule of law which affect in particular the proper functioning of public authorities and effective judicial review,Union values can seriously harm the financial interests of the Union.
Amendment 96 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The identification of a generalised deficiency requires a qualitative assessment by the Commission. That assessment, assisted by a representative panel of independent experts. That assessment should be impartial and transparent, and could be based on the information from all available sources and recognized institutions, including judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union, reports of the Court of Auditors, and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations and networks, such as the bodies of the Council of Europe and the European networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary.
Amendment 101 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The possible measures to be adopted in the event of generalised deficiencies and the procedure to be followed to adopt them should be determined. Those measures should include the transfer of allocations, the replacement of recipients, the suspension of payments and of commitments, a reduction of funding under existing commitments, and a prohibition to conclude new commitments with recipients.
Amendment 105 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The principle of proportionality should apply when determining the measures to be adopted, in particular taking into account the seriousness of the situation, the time which has elapsed since the relevant conduct started, its duration and its recurrence, the intention, and the degree of cooperation of the Member State concerned in putting an end to the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of lawUnion values, and the effects of that deficiency on the respective Union funds.
Amendment 108 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) In order to ensure uniform implementation of this Regulation and in view of the importance of the financial effects of measures being imposed pursuant to this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Council which should act on the basis of a Commission proposal. To facilitate the adoption of decisions which are required to protect the financial interests of the Union, reversed qualified majority voting should be usedmmission.
Amendment 113 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) In view of their effect on the Union budget, measures with budgetary impact imposed pursuant to this Regulation should only enter into force after the European Parliament and the Council have approved a transfer in the budget of an amount equivalent to the value of the measures adopted. To facilitate the adoption of decisions which are required to protect the financial interests of the Union, such transfers should be considered to be approved unless, within a set period, the European Parliament or the Council, the latter acting by qualified majority, amend or reject them.
Amendment 116 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Before proposing the adoption of any measure pursuant to this Regulation, the Commission should inform the Member State concerned why it considers that a generalised deficiency regarding the rule of lawUnion values might exist in that Member State. The Member State should be allowed to submit its observations. The Commission and the Council should take those observations into account.
Amendment 117 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The Councilmmission should lift measures with suspensive effect on a proposal from the Commission, if the situation leading to the imposition of those measures has been sufficiently remedied.
Amendment 120 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
This Regulation establishes the rules necessary for the protection of the Union’s budget in the case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of lawUnion values in the Member States.
Amendment 123 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) 'the rule of lawUnion values' refers to the Union values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union which includes the principles of legality, implying a transparent, accountable, democratic and pluralistic process for enacting laws; legal certainty; prohibition of arbitrariness of the executive powers; effective judicial protection by independent courts, including of fundamental rights; separation respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of powers and equality before the lawons belonging to minorities;
Amendment 126 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) 'generalised deficiency as regards the rule of law' means a widespread or recurrentUnion values' means any situation where a systemic threat to the Union values may be established or where the Union values are directly or indirectly undermined in a systemic way either because of the combined impact of practice ors, omissions, or measures or inactions by public authorities which affects the rule of lawor because of widespread or recurrent practices, omissions, measures or inactions by public authorities resulting in undermining one or several components of the Union values;
Amendment 131 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 a (new)
Article 2 a (new)
Amendment 133 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3
Article 3
Amendment 158 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 a (new)
Article 3 a (new)
Article 3a Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Expert Panel 1. The Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Expert Panel shall be composed of the following members: (a) one independent expert designated by the parliament of each Member State; the members of the expert panel shall be qualified constitutional court or supreme court judges, not currently in active service; (b) ten further experts designated by the European Parliament by a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast, chosen from a list of experts nominated by: (i) the federation of All European Academies (ALLEA); (ii) the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI); (iii) the Council of Europe (including the Venice Commission, GRECO and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights); (iv) CEPEJ and the Council of Law and Bar Societies Europe (CCBE); (v) the United Nations (UN), the OSCE and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2. The composition of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Expert Panel shall ensure gender balance.
Amendment 160 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph -1 (new)
Article 4 – paragraph -1 (new)
-1. In cases referred to in point (a) of Article 2a(1), one or more of the following appropriate measures may be adopted: (a) where the Commission implements the Union’s budget in shared management pursuant to point (b) of Article 62 of the Financial Regulation, a modification of the method to implement the budget from shared to direct management; (b) where the Commission implements the Union’s budget in indirect management pursuant to point (c) of Article 62 of the Financial Regulation, and where a Member State organisation which is responsible for the deficiencies as regards the Union values is involved in the management of the funds: (i) a replacement of the entity implementing the budget for the benefit of strengthening the Union values in the Member State concerned; (ii) a modification of the method to implement the budget from indirect to direct management.
Amendment 161 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph -1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph -1 a (new)
Amendment 162 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. OIn cases referred to in point (c) of Article 2a(1), one or more of the following appropriate measures may be adopted
Amendment 167 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a – point 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a – point 2 a (new)
(2a) measures referred to in point (a) of Article 4(-1a).
Amendment 185 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b – point 6 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b – point 6 a (new)
(6a) measures referred to in point (b) of Article 4(-1a).
Amendment 186 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) where the Commission implements the Union’s budget in indirect management pursuant to points (c) of Article 62 of the Financial Regulation, and where a Member State organisation which is responsible for the deficiencies as regards the Union values is involved in the management of the funds: (i) a suspension of payments or of the implementation of the legal commitment or a termination of the legal commitment pursuant to Article 131(3) of the Financial Regulation; (ii) a prohibition to enter into new legal commitments; (iii) measures referred to in point (c) of Article 4(-1a).
Amendment 187 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
(bb) where the Commission implements the Union’s budget in indirect management pursuant to points (c) of Article 62 of the Financial Regulation, and where a Member State organisation is the recipient: (i) a suspension of payments or of the implementation of the legal commitment or a termination of the legal commitment pursuant to Article 131(3) of the Financial Regulation; (ii) a prohibition to enter into new legal commitments; (iii) measures referred to in point (d) of Article 4(-1a).
Amendment 188 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Unless the decision adopting the measures provides otherwise, tThe imposition of appropriate measures shall not affect the obligation of government entities referred to in point (a) of paragraph -1a and 1 or of Member States referred to in point (b) of paragraph -1a or 1 to implement the programme or fund affected by the measure, and in particular the obligation to make payments to final recipients or beneficiaries.
Amendment 192 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
3. The measures taken shall be proportionate to the nature, gravity and scope of the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of lawUnion values. They shall, insofar as possible, target the Union actions affected or potentially affected by that deficiency.
Amendment 201 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission mayshall take into account all relevant information, including decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union, reports of the Court of Auditors, and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisationsthe assessment made by the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Expert Panel.
Amendment 209 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 210 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 6
Article 5 – paragraph 6
6. Where the Commission considers that the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of lawUnion values is established, it shall submitadopt a decision on the a pproposal for an implementing act on the appropriate measures to the Council.riate measures by means of an implementing act. The Commission shall publish its proposal in the Official Journal including the justification and the methodology used in the procedure
Amendment 218 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 6 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Where the appropriate measures decided by the Commission have an impact on the budgetary allocations, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a proposal to transfer the amount equivalent to the value of the measures.
Amendment 219 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 6 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. By way of derogation from Article 31(4) and (6) of the Financial Regulation, the European Parliament and the Council shall deliberate upon the transfer proposal within four weeks of its receipt by both institutions. The transfer proposal shall be considered to be approved unless, within the four-week period, the European Parliament, acting by majority of the votes cast, or the Council, acting by qualified majority, amend or reject it. If the European Parliament or the Council amend the transfer proposal, Article 31(8) of the Financial Regulation shall apply.
Amendment 221 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 7
Article 5 – paragraph 7
Amendment 227 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 8
Article 5 – paragraph 8
Amendment 233 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. The Member State concerned may, at any time, submit to the Commission evidence to show that the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of lawUnion values has been remedied or has ceased to exist.
Amendment 235 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. TAt the request of the Member State concerned or on its own initiative, the Commission shall assess the situation in theat Member State concerned, assisted by the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Expert Panel. Once the generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of lawUnion values which on the grounds of which the appropriate measures were adopted cease to exist in full or in part, the Commission shall submit to the Council a proposal foradopt a decision lifting those measures in full or in part. The procedure set out iAt the same time as it adopts its decision, the Commission shall simultaneously submit to the European pParagraphs 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 ofliament and to the Council a proposal to transfer the amount equivalent to the value of the measures. The procedure set out in Article 5 shall apply.
Amendment 239 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – title
Article 7 – title
Amendment 240 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
The Commission shall immediately inform the European Parliament of any measures proposed or adopted pursuant to Articles 4, 5 and 56
Amendment 241 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 242 #
2018/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from 1 January 2021.
Amendment 22 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas education, and intercultural dialogue in particular, have a key role to play in preventing the radicalisation of young people and increasing their resilience;
Amendment 25 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas young people should be actively involved in the planning, development, implementation, monitoring and assessment of all youth policies impacting young people;
Amendment 27 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the 2010-18 EU Youth Strategy (EYS) emphasises the need for a structured dialogue between young people and decision makers;
Amendment 30 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas young people should be helped and empowered to address the serious problems they are currently facing and to tackle the challenges they will face in the future through more relevant, effective and better coordinated youth policies, improved and accessible education and the targeted use of economic, employment and social policies at local, regional, national and EU levels;
Amendment 34 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas there is a need to mainstream EU action in the field of youth through the inclusion of a youth dimension in current and future planolicies and funding programmes;
Amendment 36 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas there is a need for a coordination of the implementation of the future EYS across different policy sectors and institutions;
Amendment 51 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Youth challenges and lessons from the current EU youth-related policymaking process
Amendment 66 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges the positive achievements of the EYS though the development of cross-sector work and the implementation of structured dialogue in order to ensure the participation of young people; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take into account the results of the VI Cycle of the Structured Dialogue that focuses on the future EU Youth Strategy when developing the new strategy;
Amendment 73 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Urges the Commission to establish a cross-sectoral working group for coordination of future EYS implementation with participation of EU institutions, including the European Parliament, Member States and civil society, in particular trade unions and youth organisations;
Amendment 74 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Calls on the Commission to set-up effective inter-service coordination tools and to assign the responsibility for youth mainstreaming as a cluster to a vice- president in the European Commission;
Amendment 83 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that the EU should express solidarity with young people and continue to empower them to participate in society, primarily by mainstreaming volunteering, supporting youth work and developing new tools; The increased social participation of young people can, apart from being an important achievement in its own right, act as a stepping stone towards increased political participation;
Amendment 92 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Strongly urges the Commission and the Member States to encourage young people, including the most disadvantaged, to pursue a participatory approach to life,adopt a participatory approach to policy-making and to create opportunities for young people, in particular those with fewer opportunities, to influence decisions impacting their lives by using online and offline democracyparticipation tools and by involving the relevant stakeholders, such as social partners, civil society and youth organisations, in the development, implementation and assessment of youth policies;
Amendment 98 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Expresses the need to continue the structured dialogue between young people and decision-makers under the next European cooperation framework in the field of youth; believes that the structured dialogue process should be systematically reaching out to more and diverse groups of young people, and sufficient financial support for national and European working groups should be provided to ensure it; calls on the Member States to encourage participation of national, regional and local decision-makers in the structured dialogue with young people;
Amendment 101 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage regional and local authorities to ensure that young people are able to fully participate and be involved in decision-making, since engagement starts usually at the level that is closest to them and is therefore also a crucial step towards increased European citizenship;
Amendment 123 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the fact that YEI measures have provided support for more than 1.6 million young people26 ; emphasises the need to improve the quality of offers under the Youth Guarantee; emphasises the need to improve the outreach to young people in NEET situations facing multiple barriers, and therefore furthest removed from the labour market, and the quality of offers under the Youth Guarantee, by defining clear quality criteria and standards including access to social protection, minimum income and employment rights; _________________ 26 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDo c.do?pubRef=- //EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A8-2017- 0406+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN
Amendment 129 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls that measures that foster the integration of NEETsyoung people not in employment, education or training into the labour market, including paid internships, traineeships or apprenticeships, must be financially supported by the YEI, but should not be used as a way to substitute employment;
Amendment 143 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Strongly believes that quality formal and non-formal education and quality training is a fundamental right; considers, therefore, that access to quality formal and non-formal education should be guaranteed for all Europeans, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity or gender; underlines the important role played by education in providing young people with the knowledge and skills to become committed citizens and take part in the European project;
Amendment 173 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Emphasises that youth organisations play a crucial role for young peoples’ participation and inclusion in society; Therefore calls on the Member States to support youth organisations and recognise their role as providers of competences development and social inclusion, and support the establishment of youth councils on all levels, working together with young people;
Amendment 175 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. strongly believes that adequate funding for non-formal education activities, particularly by youth organisations, should be provided in the successor programme of ERASMUS+; calls for a separate chapter and earmarked budget for the youth sector and non-formal education that needs to account for at least 15% of the overall budget the of Erasmus+ successor programme;
Amendment 177 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 c (new)
Paragraph 23 c (new)
23c. Stresses the importance of non- formal and informal learning, and quality youth work development as it is essential for the development of a society based on social justice and equal opportunities, and contribute to development of citizenship skills and individual fulfilment;
Amendment 178 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 d (new)
Paragraph 23 d (new)
23d. Calls on the Member States to continue efforts to implement a national recognition and validation system for competences acquired through non- formal education activities, recalling the Council recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning;
Amendment 198 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Highlights the importance of Erasmus+: an essential tool to create active and committed young citizens; strongly believes that Erasmus+ should target all young people and that the greater aspirations for the next Erasmus+ programming period must be matched by significant additional funding to unlock the programme’s full potential, namely an ten- fold increased in budget;
Amendment 203 #
2017/2259(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Stresses that the YEI budget is not sufficient to ensure that the programme reaches its targets; calls, therefore, for a significant increase in the YEI allocation under the next MFFthe YEI allocation to be at least doubled in the next MFF, to support a better, large-scale, and fmor thee efficient implementation of the Youth Guarantee; urges Member States to make provisions for youth employment schemes in their national budgets;
Amendment 320 #
2017/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Urges the European Commission to consider a new legislative framework to stimulate the development of new antimicrobials for humans, as already requested by the European Parliament on 10 March 2016 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on veterinary medicinal products and in the parliamentary resolution (2015) 0197 of19 May 2015; notes that the Commission “One Health” Action Plan against AMR also commits itself to “analyse EU regulatory tools and incentives - in particular orphan and paediatric legislation – to use them for novel antimicrobials".
Amendment 2 #
2017/2178(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Agency for the Οperational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Agency for the Οperational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2178(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Agency for the Οperational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Agency for the Οperational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
- having regard to the actions taken up by the DG HOME and the Management Board of the European Asylum Support Office following the Parliament’s decision of 18 April 2018 postponing the discharge that resulted in the resignation of Mr. José Carreira from the post of Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office on 6 June 2018;
Amendment 2 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Citation 5 b (new)
Citation 5 b (new)
- having regard to the hearing of 3 September 2018 and to the presented corrective measures already taken by the new ad interim Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office since his appointment in June 2018;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office discharge in respect of the implementation of the Office’s budget for the financial year 2016/Refuses to grant thenew ad interim Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office discharge in respect of the implementation of the Office’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 6 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes the fact that the initial decision of 18 April 2018 postponing the discharge led to the strong corrective measures taken by the DG HOME, Board of Managers and the new ad interim Executive Director of the Office;
Amendment 7 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Recognises that apart from the completion of the OLAF investigation against the previous leadership of the Office corrective measures taken up to date have sufficiently answered to reservations presented by the parliament in its decision of 18 April 2018 postponing the discharge;
Amendment 11 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the action already undertaken by the ad interim Executive Director in order to improve the governance structure and rebuilds internal capacity of the Office, restore transparency and build trust; calls on the Office to prepare a roadmap presenting the way forwardfully implement a roadmap of which the main goals were presented to the members of the Committee on Budgetary Control at the hearing of 3 September 2018;
Amendment 13 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on OLAF to inform the discharge authority of the outcome of the investigation as soon as it is closed and, in any case, before the hearing which will take place in the Committee on Budgetary Control on 3 September 2018;
Amendment 14 #
2017/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to integrate the findings from the OLAF report in the Office’s 2017 discharge report and by doing so insures that possible new recommendations to the Office are to be fully implemented;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2176(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the interim director of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology discharge in respect of the implementation of the Institute’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the interim director of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology discharge in respect of the implementation of the Institute’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2176(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2175(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Management Committee of the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications discharge in respect of the implementation of the Body’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Management Committee of the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications discharge in respect of the implementation of the Body’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2175(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2174(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2174(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2173(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Securities and Markets Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Securities and Markets Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2173(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Securities and Markets Authority for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Securities and Markets Authority for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 4 #
2017/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Observes that the payment executioncarryover rate was relatively highlow with the exception of Ttitle III (operational expenditure), which was at 38,09 %;
Amendment 11 #
2017/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2172(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2172(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 9 #
2017/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2171(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Banking Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Banking Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2171(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Banking Authority for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 12 #
2017/2171(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2170(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality discharge in respect of the implementation of the Institute’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality discharge in respect of the implementation of the Institute’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2170(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Institute for Gender Equality for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Institute for Gender Equality for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2169(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Europol’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Europol’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 4 #
2017/2169(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of Europol for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of Europol for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 18 #
2017/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistleblowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2168(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director General of the Euratom Supply Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director General of the Euratom Supply Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2168(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the Euratom Supply Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2167(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that on average the Agency’s staff was on sick leave for 7,9 days in 2016; observes with some concern that the number of days spent per member of staff on well-being activities in 2016 has been less than one day; notacknowledges that the Agency did not name differentimplemented its first health and wellbeing action plan at organizational level and reported on the well-being activities it put in place in 2016 as requested by the discharge authority, such as team-buildings, away days, seasonal events, sports facilitation, health education, medical screening, family support, psychological counselling;
Amendment 7 #
2017/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2166(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2166(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Fisheries Control Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 6 #
2017/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2165(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European GNSS Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European GNSS Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2165(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European GNSS Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European GNSS Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2164(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the executive director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the executive director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 4 #
2017/2164(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2163(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2163(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 13 #
2017/2163(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2162(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Railways discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Railways discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2162(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Railway Agency (now European Union Agency for Railways) for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Railway Agency (now European Union Agency for Railways) for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2162(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2161(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2161(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2160(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2160(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Observes that on 21 June 2017, the management board of the Authority adopted a new policy on independence to ensure the independence of all professionals involved in its scientific operations; notes that the new policy includes a new definition of what constitutes a conflict of interest, a comprehensive set of “cooling-off” rules, a requirement that experts declare the proportion of their annual earnings received from any organisation, body or company whose activities fall within the Authority’s areas of work; notes moreover that the Authority adopted unconditional restrictions to financial investments into business operators directly or indirectly concerned by the Authority’s outputs: notes that such interests are considered incompatible with any involvement as a member of the Authority’s scientific committee, scientific panels, working groups or peer review meetings; notes that experts sent by Member States will now have to fill the declarations of interests form;
Amendment 11 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Observes that on 21 June 2017, the management board of the Authority adopted a new policy on independence to ensure the independence of all professionals involved in its scientific operations; notes that the new policy includes a new definition of what constitutes a conflict of interest, a comprehensive set of “cooling-off” rules including a ban on consultancy contracts, a requirement that experts declare the proportion of their annual earnings received from any organisation, body or company whose activities fall within the Authority’s areas of work; notes moreover that the Authority adopted unconditional restrictions to financial investments into business operators directly or indirectly concerned by the Authority’s outputs: notes that such interests are considered incompatible with any involvement as a member of the Authority’s scientific committee, scientific panels, working groups or peer review meetings;
Amendment 12 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Is concerned that the scope of the Authority’s new independence policy, which only takes into account interests on “matters falling under the mandate of the relevant EFSA scientific group” and not “all material interests related to the companies whose products are assessed by the Authority and to any organisations funded by them” as the Parliament demanded, remains too narrow and thus perpetuates the Authority’s previous independence policy’s biggest limitation;
Amendment 13 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. Is concerned that the Authority ignored the repeated calls of the Parliament to include research funding in the list of interests to be covered by the two-year cooling-off period, research funding being the main source of financial conflicts of interests among the Authority’s external experts;
Amendment 14 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12 c. Is concerned that the Authority did not follow the European Ombudsman’s January 2015 ruling which, observing that the Authority had “failed to take adequate account of the changing nature of universities in its conflict of interest rules and its Declarations of Interests forms”, asked the Authority to “revise its conflict of interest rules and the related instructions and forms it uses for declarations of interests” to make sure academia experts declare the details of the financial relationships between their university employers and their university employers’ industry partners;
Amendment 15 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 d (new)
Paragraph 12 d (new)
12 d. Stresses that the Authority’s independence policy implementing rules, which were adopted end of 2017, did not remedy the above-mentioned problems, and that the Authority failed to seize the opportunity of the review of its independence policy to better prevent the occurrence of conflicts of interest scandals in the future;
Amendment 16 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 e (new)
Paragraph 12 e (new)
12 e. Calls on the Authority to report to the discharge authority on the implementation of its new independence policy;
Amendment 26 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Notes with concern that criminal complaints have been filed against the Authority and Germany’s Bundesinstitute für Risikobewertung (BfR) by environmental NGOs in Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and France over accusations of plagiarism and misconduct in their risk assessment of the active substance glyphosate;
Amendment 30 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31 a. Notes with concern that the Authority currently lacks the financial resources to pay its external experts and perform all the new tasks it is asked to do, in particular on novel foods, risk communication and stakeholder engagement;
Amendment 31 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)
Paragraph 31 b (new)
31 b. Notes that the Authority often comes under criticism for issues that are beyond its powers to change, such as specific aspects of the Union’s pesticides regulation in the case of glyphosate, or, on conflicts of interests, the shrinking availability of independent experts caused by Union and national research funding policies that encourage public private partnerships between universities and industry;
Amendment 32 #
2017/2159(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 c (new)
Paragraph 31 c (new)
31 c. Insists that the Commission and Member States substantially increases the Authority’s budget, and that the Commission reviews the Authority’s Founding Regulation, to give it the financial and legal resources it needs to perform all the tasks it is facing in correct conditions; in this perspective, any possible introduction of fees for industry should be done in a manner that protects the Authority’s integrity;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2158(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 4 #
2017/2158(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Aviation Safety Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2158(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2157(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2157(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Maritime Safety Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2157(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, whilst protecting their confidentiality and offering them the support and advice that they need;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2156(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Training Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Training Foundation discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2156(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2155(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Administrative Director of Eurojust discharge in respect of the implementation of Eurojust’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Administrative Director of Eurojust discharge in respect of the implementation of Eurojust’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2155(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of Eurojust for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of Eurojust for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 14 #
2017/2155(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistleblowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2154(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 4 #
2017/2154(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, since the introduction of a new IT accounting system in 2011, reporting on commitment workflow and consumption has not been sufficiently transparent; regrets that, although the matter was repeatedly raised with the Agency, no corrective action has been taken; take note of the Agency's explanation that "[the Agency] is currently working to increase the reporting functionality of its financial system, in line with the recommendations by the Court"; calls on the Agency to implement corrective actions as soon as possible in 2018 and to report to the discharge authority on their implementation;
Amendment 8 #
2017/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, since 2014 the Agency has undergone two major re-organisations including the internal re-allocation of top and middle management positions; notes moreover that the re-allocation of key staff in the area of IT and administration was not successful, causing material risk of instability to the Agency and its operations; notes however that the Agency considers that no instability was suffered by the Agency due to organisational changes which aimed at increasing operational efficiencies and improving delivery of strategic objectives and which were supported by the Agency’s Management Board; notes moreover that there is no system in place to analyse skills availability, identify gaps and to recruit and allocate appropriate staff; calls on the Agency to pay extra attention to these issues, improve its human resources management and report back to the discharge authority;
Amendment 9 #
2017/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, in 2014 the Commission, on behalf of more than 50 Union Institutions and bodies (including the Agency) signed a framework contract with one contractor for the acquisition of software, licences and the provision of related IT maintenance and consultancy; notes that the framework contractor acts as an intermediary between the Agency and suppliers that can address the Agency’s needs; takes note that for these intermediary services, the framework contractor is entitled to a commission of two to nine percent of the suppliers’ prices; observes that in 2016, total payments to the framework contractor amounted to EUR 8 900 000; regrets that the Agency did not systematically check prices and uplifts charged with the suppliers’ quotes and invoices issued to the framework contractor; calls on the Agency to pay extra attention to such issues, to regularlnotes however that, following the Court's finding in October 2017, the Agency investigated the case which resulted in contractor's acknowledgment of their mistake and an expected recovery of approximately EUR 12 000; also notes that, since October 2017, specific internal guidance has been put in place by ctheck the prices and look at means of better economising on its operations Agency; that guidance includes systematic checks of product category and related uplift for every quotation received from Comparex with value above EUR 60 000;
Amendment 16 #
2017/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistleblowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2153(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2153(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 9 #
2017/2153(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2152(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2152(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 14 #
2017/2152(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Observes that there is a need to establish an independent body, with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to deal with disclosure, advice and referral; notes that the purpose of such a body would be to help whistleblowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering necessary support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2151(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2151(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Environment Agency for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 9 #
2017/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2150(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2150(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2149(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2149(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2148(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions discharge in respect of the implementation of the Foundation’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2148(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2147(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2147(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2016 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training for the financial year 2016;
Amendment 8 #
2017/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 34 #
2017/2145(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistleblowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 13 #
2017/2144(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 42 #
2017/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 38 #
2017/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose their information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 19 #
2017/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 11 #
2017/2138(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 43 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. WelcomNotes the revision of allowance rates for accredited parliamentary assistants (APAs) incurred in respect of their duty travel between Parliament’s three places of work; notes that for officials and other servants, the hotel ceiling for Strasbourg missions is set at EUR 180 and daily allowance at EUR 192, whereas APAs’ accommodation, meals and ancillary expenses for Strasbourg missions are respectively reimbursed at a flat rate of EUR 137, EUR 160 or EUR 183; asks again the Bureau to take actions for a full alignment between officials, other servants and APAs;
Amendment 45 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Reiterates its will to find a workable solution for those APAs who, having worked for two parliamentary terms in the end of the current term will not be entitled to access to the European pension rights scheme, when they will reach the pension age, since they will be lacking some time out of the ten years’ service needed, due to early elections in 2014 and the delays in the validation of the APAs new contracts because of heavy workload during the periods after the elections of 2009 and after the elections of 2014; therefore requests two legislative terms to be considered as ten years of active service; requests the Commission to submit a legislative proposal before 1 September 2018;
Amendment 48 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Calls for a thorough revision of the Internal Rules governing missions and duty travel by officials and other servants in order to ensure a full alignment between officials, other servants and APAs; Notes that some missions’ reimbursements are subject to very long delays and suggests that solutions as to bring them within a reasonable timeframe should be explored;
Amendment 106 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Is concerned that the relatively low number of harassment complaints brought forward in 2016 both to the Advisory Committee on Harassment for staff and by APAs could imply the lack of appropriate channels; is of the opinion that an external audit should be implemented swiftly in accordance with what was agreed upon in the parliamentary resolution in order to further improve the internal processes; welcomes in this regard the proposal of the Secretary-General to introduce a network of confidential counsellors who can be contacted by APAs, trainees working for Members, group staff and all other staff and trainees; acknowledges that these counsellors would be selected for their expertise and inter- personal skills, and would undergo targeted training; encourages revision of the composition of the advisory committees dealing with harassment complaints, ensuring equal representation of Members, APAs and staff, and gender balance; hopes that an external auditor can be appointed swiftly in order to further improve the internal processes;
Amendment 146 #
Amendment 153 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)
Paragraph 47 a (new)
47a. Notes that the voluntary pension fund increased its estimated actuarial deficit to EUR 326,2 million at the end of 2016; further notes that at the end of 2016 the amount of net financial assets to be taken into account and the accrued future payments obligations commitment amount to EUR 146,4 million and EUR 472,6 million respectively;
Amendment 157 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 e (new)
Paragraph 47 e (new)
47e. Points out that for the next five years, of the number of MEPs, which will reach the age of retirement and which will be entitled to pay-outs, as they have contributed to the fund and assuming that no beneficiary is (re)elected in 2019 or otherwise takes up a vacant European mandate the number of new pensioners for the years 2018 -2022 will be: 2018: 21; 2019: 74; 2020: 21; 2021: 12; 2022: 17;
Amendment 158 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 b (new)
Paragraph 47 b (new)
47b. Considering the Fund’s current level of financial assets, combined with its future yearly payment obligations and the evolution of the rate of return of its investments on the financial markets, the estimated date of insolvency of the Voluntary Pension Fund is roughly estimated to vary between 2024 and 2026;
Amendment 159 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 e (new)
Paragraph 47 e (new)
47e. Points out that this raises concerns about the possible exhaustion of the fund and that Parliament is the guarantor for the payment of pension rights when and if this fund is unable to meet its obligations;
Amendment 160 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 e (new)
Paragraph 47 e (new)
47e. Calls once again on the Bureau to make an assessment as soon as possible of the current situation of the Pension Fund; Recalls Paragraph 112 of the 2014 discharge resolution that calls for an assessment of the current situation of the pension fund; regrets that such an assessment has not yet been delivered;
Amendment 161 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 e (new)
Paragraph 47 e (new)
47e. Recalls that the Court of Justice ruled in 2013 that the decision to increase the age of retirement for Fund subscribers from 60 to 63 years in order to avoid the early exhaustion of the capital and to align it with the new statute for Members was valid;
Amendment 162 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 c (new)
Paragraph 47 c (new)
47c. Considers that, whereas national pension funds normally have to meet strict standards and are not allowed to have any actuarial deficit at all, the voluntary pension fund is now facing an actuarial deficit of 64 % of the actuarial commitment, calls on the Secretary- General to present the Bureau with a comprehensive plan of action to avoid the early exhaustion of the fund;
Amendment 163 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 e (new)
Paragraph 47 e (new)
47e. Requests the secretary-general to calculate what would happen to the Fund’s actuarial deficit if 25%, 50% or 75% of the current or former Members withdraw from it;
Amendment 164 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 e (new)
Paragraph 47 e (new)
47e. Requests the secretary-general to calculate the impact of possible reductions of the monthly payments, which happens with more pension funds when the return of their investments is decreasing;
Amendment 165 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 e (new)
Paragraph 47 e (new)
47e. Request the Bureau to increase further the retirement age from 63 to 65 or 67, as most of retirement policies and pension schemes in the member states;
Amendment 166 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 d (new)
Paragraph 47 d (new)
47d. Launches a “moral” call on the existing Members of the Voluntary Pension Fund to withdraw on a voluntary basis whereby the beneficiaries holding entitlements under the Fund’s scheme are invited them to voluntary reduce or relinquish their legally protected rights;
Amendment 177 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)
Paragraph 47 a (new)
47a. Welcomes the formation of the Bureau’s working group on possible revisions to the General Expenditure Allowance (GEA); reminds the Bureau that the plenary has already appealed for greater transparency and an urgent need to audit the GEA; believes any revision of the GEA should incorporate previously adopted plenary recommendations concerning transparency and financial accountability;
Amendment 178 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 b (new)
Paragraph 47 b (new)
47b. Calls on the Bureau to make the additional concrete changes concerning the general expenditure allowance: 1.A 5% sample checks of the general expenditure allowance spending should be introduced by the Parliament’s internal auditing;the final results and the findings should be part of the annual report published by the Parliament 2. The Members should publish, on an annual basis, an overview of their expenditures by category (communication costs, office rental, office supplies...);
Amendment 202 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 a (new)
Paragraph 64 a (new)
64a. Is concerned about the recently identified irregularities which have occurred in relation to the expenditure and own resources of a number of European political parties and foundations;
Amendment 204 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 b (new)
Paragraph 64 b (new)
64b. Takes the view that Parliament’s internal control needs to be strengthened;
Amendment 206 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 c (new)
Paragraph 64 c (new)
Amendment 208 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 d (new)
Paragraph 64 d (new)
64d. Calls for better auditing of parties’ and foundations’ own resources; own resources derived from membership dues or donations are deemed not to exist and must not be directly or indirectly compensated in any form whatsoever;
Amendment 210 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 e (new)
Paragraph 64 e (new)
64e. Recommends that, when new applications for grants are submitted or where irregularities have been ascertained, it should be compulsory to obtain a bank guarantee for at least 50% of the amount to be paid;
Amendment 211 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 f (new)
Paragraph 64 f (new)
64f. Considers that, where people are employed by parties and foundations, the labour law and social legislation of the Member State where the work is carried out must be fully complied with, and calls for internal audits to include analysis of this aspect;
Amendment 212 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 g (new)
Paragraph 64 g (new)
64g. Does not consider it justified to award grants to political parties and foundations to which parties are affiliated that do not have, or permit, party membership, so that there is no internal democratic decision-making;
Amendment 213 #
2017/2137(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 h (new)
Paragraph 64 h (new)
64h. Asks its Secretary-General to what extent and how, in the event of gross abuse of European funds, greater use can be made of the joint and several liability of board members or former board members in order to recover funds that have been used unlawfully;
Amendment 33 #
2017/2136(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Expresses the need to establish an independent disclosure, advice and referral body with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to help whistle-blowers use the right channels to disclose information on possible irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, while protecting their confidentiality and offering needed support and advice;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
- having regard to the Analysis of the Use and Impact of European Union Funds in Hungary in the 2007-2013 programming period commissioned by the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office and prepared by KPMG Tanácsadó Ltd. and its subcontractor GKI Gazdaságkutató Corp.;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
Amendment 4 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas Cohesion Funds’ (ERDF, CF, ESF) payments from the Union to Hungary between 2004 and 2017 amounted to EUR 30,15 billion; whereas the amount of financial correction resulting from Union audits amounts, to date, to an approximate amount of EUR 940 million for the ERDF, CF and ESF and is expected to exceed EUR 1 billion;
Amendment 8 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas since 2008 Hungary has fallen by 19 points in the Corruption Perception Index, making it one of the worst performing Member States in terms of fighting corruption;
Amendment 9 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas, according to the Global Competitiveness Index 2017-2018, corruption, governmental favouritism and the lack of transparency of governmental policymaking are the biggest obstacles for businesses in Hungary ;
Amendment 12 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the Country Specific Recommendations of the Commission under the European Semester between 2014-2017 (CSRs) highlighted theat Hungary needs to improve the transparency of public finances and strengthen public procurement structures and the anti-corruption framework; its anti-corruption framework; whereas, according to the CSRs, limited progress has been made in the transparency of public finances with the adoption of the Public Procurement Act, but important actions were delayed, especially in the field of e-procurement, and the indicators show that competition and transparency are still unsatisfactory in public procurement; whereas, according to the CSRs, no progress has been registered as regards the improvement of the anti-corruption framework and no changes are envisaged in the National Anti-Corruption Programme to make it more effective in preventing corruption and applying dissuasive sanctions; whereas, according to the CSRs, the prosecution of high-level corruption cases remains the exception;
Amendment 13 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the monitoring institutions, such as the Court of Auditors and the Prosecutor General, are separate from the executive branch and are independent bodies according to the Basic Law and the relevant cardinal laws of Hungary; whereas in practice they do not, however, seem to have independence and autonomy from the ruling political elite as both the president of the Court of Auditors and the Prosecutor General have close links to Hungary’s ruling political party and are therefore not completely independent in carrying out their duties;
Amendment 14 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the number of investigations carried out by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) for 2013-2016 in relation to Hungary, at 41, is the second highest in the Union; whereas 85 % of the investigations were concluded with judicial and financial recommendations, which is the highest in the Union;
Amendment 16 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the financial impact of OLAF investigations relating to Hungary in the areas of Structural Funds and Agriculture for 2013-2016 reached 4,16 %, which is the highest in the Union and about 900 % higher than the Union average;
Amendment 17 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas less than 10 % of the information coming to OLAF from Hungary in 2016 came from public sources;
Amendment 19 #
2017/2131(INL)
Fa. whereas the Transparency Index (TI) of public procurement in Hungary between 2015–2016 remained far below the 2009–2010 level; whereas, since 2011, Union-funded tenders were characterised by significantly lower TI values in each year compared to non-Union-funded tenders; whereas the detailed analysis shows that the level of transparency was significantly weaker in 2016 than in 2015;
Amendment 21 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Fb. whereas estimations show a very high level of direct social loss in Hungary, reaching 15-24 % in total contract value in the 2009-2016 period, which amounts to at least between EUR 6,7 billion and EUR 10,6 billion;
Amendment 22 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital F c (new)
Recital F c (new)
Fc. whereas a vibrant civil society sector should play a vital role in promoting the transparency and accountability of governments with respect to their finances and their fight against corruption;
Amendment 23 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. 1. Regrets that the developments in Hungary have led to an increasing level of corruption and a serious deterioration of the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights over the past few years, including the functioning of the constitutional system, the independence of the public prosecution, the Court of Auditors and of other controlling institutions, and that there are many worrying allegations of corruption and conflicts of interest, which, taken together, could represent an emerging systemic threat to the rule of law in this Member State;
Amendment 25 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Recalls its recommendation of 13 December 2017 to the Council and the Commission following the inquiry into money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion, in which it noted that the anti- corruption monitoring by the Commission was to be pursued through the European Semester process, took the view that anti- corruption might be overshadowed by other economic and financial matters in that process, and called on the Commission to lead by example, resuming the publication of the anti-corruption report and committing to a much more credible and comprehensive anti- corruption strategy; points out that the fight against corruption is a matter of police and judicial cooperation, a policy area where Parliament is co-legislator and has full powers of scrutiny;
Amendment 27 #
2017/2131(INL)
1b. Recalls its Resolution of 25 October 2016 with recommendations to the Commission on the establishment of a Union mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, specifically calling for the establishment of an annual report on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (European DRF Report) with country- specific recommendations, including a specific focus on corruption;
Amendment 31 #
2017/2131(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with concern that the share of contracts awarded after public procurement procedures that received only a single bid remains very high, at 36%, in Hungary, which is the second highest number in the Union, indicating that there are strong risks of corruption in Hungarian public procurement tenders;
Amendment 162 #
2017/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Strongly believes that a new approach to the EU’s relations with its Eastern neighbours is needed; believes that supporting those countries that wish to have closer ties to the EU must be a top priority for EU foreign policy; welcomeregrets the prolongation of sanctions against Russia andthat do not seem to be efficient and harm European producers that are not part of the conflict, continues to see full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the basis for a sustainable political solution to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine and calls for a new dialogue with Russia; reiterates its commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders; stresses that Russia’s decision of 21 March 2014 to incorporate Crimea into the Russian Federation remains illegal, and deplores the subsequent decision of the Russian authorities to give all inhabitants of Crimea Russian passports;
Amendment 588 #
2017/2052(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87
Paragraph 87
87. Recognises the European added value of collaboration in addressing common public health threats; notes that no single Member State can tackle cross- border health challenges alone, and calls for the next MFF to reflect the EU’s responsibility to support Member States in reducing health inequalities; considers that, on the basis of the positive outcome of the ongoing actions in this field, the next MFF should include a robust next generation Health programme that addresses these issues on a cross-border basis, notably by making innovative solutions for healthcare delivery, such as the European Reference Networks; recalls that good health is a prerequisite for achieving other goals set by the EU and that policies in such fields as agriculture, environment, employment, social issues or inclusion also have an impact on the health of Europeans; calls, therefore, for the strengthening of health impact assessments and for cross- sectoral cooperation in the next MFF in this field;
Amendment 173 #
2017/2044(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65 a (new)
Paragraph 65 a (new)
65 a. Recalls the 2013 Fox-Häfner report, which estimated the costs of the geographic dispersion of the Parliament to be between EUR 156 million and EUR 204 million and equivalent to 10 % of the Parliament's budget; notes the finding that 78 % of all missions by Parliament statutory staff arise as a direct result of the Parliament's geographic dispersion; emphasises that the report also estimates the environmental impact of the geographic dispersion to be between 11,000 to 19,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions; reiterates the negative public perception caused by this dispersion and calls therefore for a roadmap to a single seat and a reduction in the relevant budget lines;
Amendment 82 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Since the adoption of Council Directive 91/533/EEC,33 labour markets have undergone far-reaching changes due to demographic developments and digitalisation leading to the creation of new forms of employment, which have supported job creation and labour market growth. New forms of employment are often, however, are often precarious and not as regular or stable as traditional employment relationships and lead to reduced predictability for the workers concerned, creating uncertainty as to applicable rights and social protection. Non-standard forms of employment are particularly common among younger generations of workers. Precariousness affects young people disproportionately, as their position in the labour market is already vulnerable, due to protracted transitions between education and employment and a general lack of entry-level jobs. In this evolving world of work, there is therefore an increased need for workers to be fully informed about their essential working conditions, which should occur in a written form and in a timely manner. In order to adequately to frame the development of new forms of employment, protect workers in the Union, and young workers in particular, workers should also be provided with a number of new minimum rights aimed at promoting quality, security and predictability in employment relationships while achieving upward convergence across Member States and preserving labour market adaptability. __________________ 33 Council Directive 91/533/EC of 14 October 1991 on an employer's obligation to inform employees of the conditions applicable to the contract or employment relationship (OJ L 288, 18.10.1991, p. 32).
Amendment 93 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Pursuant to Directive 91/533/EEC the majority of workers in the Union have the right to receive written information about their working conditions. Directive 91/533/EEC does not however cover all workers in the Union. Moreover, gaps in protection have emerged forthe rise of new forms of employment, created as a result of labour market developments since 1991, has further highlighted existing gaps in protection.
Amendment 109 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) In order to ensure effectiveness of the rights provided by the Union law, the personal scope of Directive 91/533/EEC should be updated. In its case law, the Court of Justice of the European Union has established criteria for determining the status of a worker34 which are appropriate for determining the personal scope of application of this Directive. The definition of worker in Article 2(1) is based on these criteria. They ensure a uniform implementation of the personal scope of the Directive while leaving it to national authorities and courts to apply it to specific situations. Provided that they fulfil those criteria, domestic workers, on-demand workers, intermittent workers, voucher based-workers, platform workers, trainees and apprentices could come within scope of this Directive. To address the precarious position of young people in the labour market, Member States are encouraged to extend the application of this Directive to all trainees and apprentices, regardless of whether they are paid or not. This is further supported by the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice, which has established that a person performing real work in the context of a traineeships, should be regarded as a worker, even if remuneration is not provided by their employer.34a __________________ 34 Judgments of 3 July 1986, Deborah Lawrie-Blum, Case 66/85; 14 October 2010, Union Syndicale Solidaires Isère, Case C-428/09; 9 July 2015, Balkaya, Case C-229/14; 4 December 2014, FNV Kunsten, Case C-413/13; and 17 November 2016, Ruhrlandklinik, Case C- 216/15. 34a Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 9 July 2015 Ender Balkaya v Kiesel Abbruch- und Recycling Technik GmbH.
Amendment 129 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
Amendment 145 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Due to the unpredictability of on- demand work including, zero-hour contracts, the derogation of 8 hours per month should not be used for employment relationships in which no guaranteed amount of paid work is determined before the start of the employment should be prohibited.
Amendment 188 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Workers should have the right to be informed about their rights and obligations resulting from the employment relationship in writing, in paper or electronically, at the start of employment. The relevant information should therefore reach them at the latest on the first day of the employment.
Amendment 200 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) In order to help employers to provide timely information, Member States should ensure the availability of templates at national level, developed in consultation with the social partners, including relevant and sufficiently comprehensive information on the legal framework applicable. These templates may be further developed at sectoral or local level, by national authorities and social partners.
Amendment 250 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) While new forms of employment have been a driver of job creation and labour market growth, they are more open to insecure and unpredictable working conditions. Where employers have the possibility to offer full-time or open-ended labour contracts to workers in non-standard forms of employment, including traineeships, a transition to more secure forms of employment should be promoted. Workers should be able to request another more predictable and secure form of employment, where available, and receive a written response from the employer, which takes into account the needs of the employer and of the worker. In case of refusal, the letter should include a clear and objective justification.
Amendment 261 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) Where employers are required by legislation or collective agreements to provide training to workers to carry out the work for which they are employed, it is important to ensure that such training is provided equally, including to those in non-standard forms of employment, and that such training is carried out during working hours. The costs of such training should not be charged to the worker nor withheld or deducted from the worker's remuneration. The worker should continue to be entitled to receive remuneration during their training.
Amendment 317 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. The purpose of this Directive is to improve working conditions by promoting more secure, transparent and predictable employment while ensuring labour market adaptability.
Amendment 335 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 3
Article 1 – paragraph 3
Amendment 344 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 4
Article 1 – paragraph 4
Amendment 413 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that employers are required to inform workers of the essential aspects of the employment relationship, including minimum social and labour rights they are entitled to.
Amendment 544 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall, in consultation with social partners, develop templates and models for the document referred to in paragraph 1 and put them at the disposal of workers and employers including by making them available on a single official national website and by other suitable means.
Amendment 713 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 1
Article 10 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that workers with at least six months' seniority with the same employer, including traineeships, may request a form of employment with more predictable and secure working conditions where available.
Amendment 739 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Member States shall ensure that where employers are required by Union or national legislation or relevant collective agreements to provide training to workers to carry out the work for which they are employed, such training shall be provided cost-free to the worker and shall take place during working hours. Moreover, workers undertaking training shall continue to be entitled to receive remuneration.
Amendment 29 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) While the Commission is currently empowered to decide in such cases, due to the particular sensitivity of the issues at stake, Member States should also fully assume theissume greater responsibility in the decision- making process. This, however, is not the case whenWhere the act concerns the protection of the health or safety of humans, animals or plants, greater weight should be given to political accountability. When in such cases Member States are not able to reach a qualified majority, due to, amongst others, a significant number of absten in favour of proposals to grant authorisations for non-appearances at the moment of the votea product or substance, that authorisation should be deemed to have been refused.
Amendment 40 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The voting rules for the appeal committee should be changed in order to reduce the risk of no opinion being delivered and to provide an incentive for Member State representatives to take a clear position. To this end only Member States which are present or represented, and which do not abstain, should be considered as participating Member States for the calculation of the qualified majority. In order to ensure that the voting outcome is representative a vote should only be considered valid if a simple majority of the Member States are participating members of the appeal committee. If the quorum is not reached before expiry of the time-limit for the committee to take a decision, it will be considered that the committee delivered no opinion, as is the case today.
Amendment 51 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) Where it appears difficult to obtain positive opinions from the Member States in relation to similar draft implementing acts, consideration should be given to reviewing the implementing powers conferred on the Commission in the relevant basic acts.
Amendment 60 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 a
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 a
However, only members of the appeal committee who are present or represented at the time of the vote, and do not abstain from voting, shall be considered as participating members of the appeal committee. The majority referred to in Article 5(1) shall be the qualified majority referred to in Article 238(3) (a) TFEU. A vote shall only be considered to be valid if a simple majority of the Member States are participating members.
Amendment 63 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a
Amendment 71 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b a (new)
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011
Article 6 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 4 a (new)
(ba) the following paragraph is inserted: “4a. By way of derogation from paragraph 3, where the basic act concerns the protection of the health or safety of humans, animals or plants and the draft implementing act for which the basic act provides involves proposing to grant authorisation for a product or substance, in the absence of a positive opinion voted by the majority provided for in Article 5(1), the Commission shall not adopt that draft implementing act and the authorisation shall be deemed to have been refused.”.
Amendment 78 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3 a (new)
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
(3a) in Article 11, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: "Where a basic act is adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, either the European Parliament or the Council may at any time indicate to the Commission that, in its view, a draft implementing act exceeds the implementing powers provided for in the basic act, or is not consistent with Union law in other respects. In such a case, the Commission shall review the draft implementing act, taking account of the positions expressed, and shall inform the European Parliament and the Council whether it intends to maintain, amend or withdraw the draft implementing act. ” Or. en (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?qid=1516208034834&uri=CELEX:32011R0182)
Amendment 79 #
2017/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3 b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3 b (new)
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011
Article 11 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 1 a (new)
(3b) In Article 11, the following paragraph is added: “In addition, where either the European Parliament or the Council considers that the conferral of implementing powers on the Commission in the basic act needs to be reviewed, it may, at any time, call on the Commission to submit a proposal to amend that basic act.”
Amendment 4 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
- having regard to the European Court of Auditors report "Combating Food Waste: an opportunity for the EU to improve the resource-efficiency of the food supply chain" (2016)1a , _________________ 1a http://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocIt em.aspx?did=40302.
Amendment 16 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas according to the World Food Programme (WFP) 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy and active life; whereas poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) or approximately 3.1 million of deaths in children under the age of five; whereas one in six children in the world are underweight and one in four is stunted; whereas it is therefore not only an economic and environmental but also a moral obligation to reduce food waste1a ; _________________ 1a https://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats.
Amendment 19 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas according to several studies extensive change of diets prove most effective method to reduce environmental impact from food consumption; whereas achieving a sustainable food production and consumption system in Europe requires comprehensive and integrated food policy;
Amendment 24 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3 is aimed at halving per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels by 2030 and reducing food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses; whereas the UN estimates that world population will increase from 7.3 billion people today to 9.7 billion in 20501a ; whereas reducing food waste is an essential step in reducing world hunger and a necessity to feed an ever growing world population; _________________ 1a http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/n ews/population/2015-report.html
Amendment 32 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas reducing food waste can improve the economic situation for households without lowering the standard of living;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas food is lost or wasted at all steps of the supply and consumption chain; whereas estimates from the FUSIONS project indicate that the sectors contributing the most to food waste within the EU are households and processing10 ; whereas food waste in developing countries mainly occurs due to infrastructure and technological limitations; _________________ 10 FUSIONS, Estimates of European food waste levels, March 2016.
Amendment 43 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the recent special report from the European Court of Auditors stated that the Commission's ambition level to tackle food waste has decreased despite several requests from the European Parliament and the Member States to address the issue; whereas the report considers Commission's action taken to date fragmented and intermittent, lacking clear coordination;
Amendment 113 #
2016/2223(INI)
1. Stresses the urgent need to reduce the amount of food waste in the Union at every step of the supply and consumption chain; in this regard, underlines the importance of political leadership and commitment from both the Commission and Member States; reminds that the European Parliament repeatedly, in its resolutions from 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016, asked the Commission to take action against food waste;
Amendment 133 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission to make a policy proposal to create a comprehensive and integrated EU food policy;
Amendment 149 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Urges the Commission to swiftly adopt a common definition for and methodology to measure food waste; urges, furthermore, the Commission to start developing a common definition for and a methodology to measure food loss, taking into account the whole supply chain, including primary production, losses due to poor animal welfare, transportation and storage;
Amendment 191 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the recent creation of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste; reiterates the importance of exchanging best practices, combining knowledge and avoiding duplication with other relevant forums such as for example the EU Retail Forum on Sustainability, the European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Roundtable, the High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain, the Consumer Goods Forum;
Amendment 213 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to issue recommendations regarding refrigeration temperatures, based on evidence that non-optimal and improper temperature leads to food becoming prematurely inedible and causes unnecessary waste; underlines the fact that harmonised levels of temperature throughout the supply chain would improve product conservation and reduce food waste for products transported and sold cross-border;
Amendment 231 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on all actors in the food supply chain to take their shared responsibility and implement the Joint Food Wastage Declaration 'Every Crumb Counts' and 'Retail agreement on waste'; points out that the retail sector meets millions of consumers every day, and is in a unique position to increase knowledge and raise awareness related to food waste, thereby facilitating informed choices; underlines that marketing practices such as "buy one, get one for free" increases the risk that consumers buy more than they can use; in this regard also highlights the need to offer smaller package sizes for smaller households; welcomes that some retailers sell food items with short use-by dates at discount prices but believes that practice should be more widespread;
Amendment 238 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote successful practices of food waste reduction and resource conservation methods already used by stakeholders; encourages the Member States to reduce food waste in public establishments; in this regard emphasizes the importance of educating and engaging children to minimize food waste in school canteens; asks the Quaestors to give priority to actions to reduce food waste in the European Parliament and encourages other European institutions to follow;
Amendment 256 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to use European development funds to improve the food chain infrastructure to reduce food waste in developing countries;
Amendment 261 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Reiterates that egg waste is still one of the main issues for retailers; asks the Commission to look into ways to reduce egg waste taking into account the scientific assessment from EFSA as well Member States to properly inform consumers on this important issue;
Amendment 271 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Stresses the important role of national authorities to help actors along the food supply chain to use edible food and food close to expiry, taking a promotional instead of punishing approach when implementing food safety rules;
Amendment 272 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Welcomes the establishment of "Social Grocery Shops", as well as public and private partnerships with charity organizations, to make the best possible use of edible but not sellable food;
Amendment 306 #
2016/2223(INI)
14a. Calls on restaurants, catering services and public establishments to make available to-go boxes and encourage customers to bring their leftovers home;
Amendment 338 #
2016/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Considers the digital revolution and innovation a possibility to further reduce food waste; believes that collaborative economy services such as co-cooking, smart packaging and the Internet of things are important to increase awareness and promote sustainable consumption;
Amendment 83 #
2016/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 340
Paragraph 340
340. Underlines that nuclear safety is of prime importance, not only for the Member States concerned but for the population in the whole Union and its neighourhood;
Amendment 86 #
2016/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 344
Paragraph 344
344. Is worried aboutConsiders the assessment of the nuclear decommissioning assistance programme to Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia in 2015 and previous years, (1) that the objectives that were due by the reference date for reporting were achieved on schedule according to the baseline, is still concerned about possible delays in works on facilities for the storage of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste; calls on the Commission to update Parliament’'s competent committee on progress made before the 2015 Commission discharge vote in parliament; 1) Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the work under the nuclear decommissioning assistance programme to Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia in 2015 and previous years COM(2016) 405 final
Amendment 91 #
2016/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 348 a (new)
Paragraph 348 a (new)
348 a. Underlines that the closure of Nuclear Power Plant was the condition set forward by the Union for the accession of Lithuania in exchange for Union support for its closure, decommissioning and mediation of social and economic impact, as defined in Protocol No. 4 of the Accession Treaty. Takes note that Lithuania has kept its obligations as regards the closure of Ignalina's NPP nuclear reactors on the agreed schedule, is, however, concerned about the delays in its decommissioning and therefore suggests a more thorough scrutiny of the respective process by Union authorities;
Amendment 97 #
2016/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 349
Paragraph 349
349. Insists that dedicated funding programmes for nuclear decommissioning in Lithuania, Bulgaria and Slovakia should be discontinued after 2020 with more efficient control mechanisms;
Amendment 102 #
2016/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 354
Paragraph 354
354. 354. Is shocked byconcerned about the Court’'s findings that Commission’'s assessment of the respective financing plans and detailed decommissioning plans for the 2014-2020 financing period, i.e. of the second and third ex-ante conditionalities respectively(14 ), was inadequate; asks who shoulders the financial responsibility for this failure in the Commission; in this context, wants to be informed about the completed action plan which remedied the discovered weaknesses. __________________ 14) See COM(2011) 783 final, Council Regulations (Euratom), No 1368/2013 and No 1369/2013 and Commission Implementing Decision C(2014) 5449
Amendment 9 #
2016/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Notes with concern, that despite the 2015 reform, the Agency’s conflict of interests’ policy remains flexible; is especially concerned that revolving doors for experts receiving grants from the private sector have not been prohibited, in the context of the reform for both being hired at the Agency and for the post- employment period;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Amendment 22 #
2016/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Notes that the Agency launched a pilot project on "adaptive pathways" in March 2014 aiming to accelerate market authorisations for specific medicines using the so-called post-marketing authorisation; is concerned that the pilot project raises numerous public health concerns and undermines the core mission of the Agency, namely to ensure safety of medicines; asks the Agency to report to the Discharge Authority on the project and the measures it has taken to ensure that this acceleration of the procedure does not undermine its core mission;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2160(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Takes note of the annual expenditure of EUR160 million devoted to the Union’s delegation network, which represent more than a 50 % increase compared to the preceding financial year; notes that 80 % of the delegations are still rented, the rents amounting to EUR 53,04 million in 2015; welcomes the loan facility of EUR200million for better managing the building policy and reducing the purchasing costs of delegations; regrets that despite the loan facility and the increase in expenditure only a few delegation buildings are owned by the EEAS; calls on the EEAS to present not only the delegation building contracts of the referred year but to provide an overview of the situation of all delegation buildings for the yearly activity report;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2158(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the continuation of the Ombudsman’'s investigations into “"revolving door”" cases in the Commission; raises the concern on the “"internal revolving door”" between the Ombudsman and the other institutions which might have beenbe under scrutiny of the Ombudsman or between the other institutions which might scrutinising each other's work; calls on the Ombudsman to analyse the situation and to work out rules in order to avoid conflicts of interests if it considers it to be necessary;
Amendment 4 #
2016/2158(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes the results achieved in the complaints handling in 2015 and welcomes the fact that the Union institutions complied with the Ombudsman’'s proposals at a rate of 90 %; calls on the Ombudsman to provide a breakdown of compliance of the Union institutions with its proposals for its yearly Activity Report, asks the Ombudsman to provide an analysis on the possible reasons of non-compliance and asks the Union institutions to improve their compliance rate further;
Amendment 6 #
2016/2158(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Expresses the wish, that the Ombudsman and authorities of the Member States and of the Union institutions provide more help to the European Ombudsman by drawing the attention of the European citizens to the possibility of turning to the European Ombudsman in cases of maladministration by any of the institutions and bodies of the Union.
Amendment 12 #
2016/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that, according to its annual management report for 2015, the Court of Justice works closely with the Court of Auditors’' team designated to carry out its performance review; in this regard, regretnotes the fact that the Court of Justice raised obstacles to the audit team work at the beginning of the audit process; calls onwelcomes that the Court of Justice to improved its cooperation with the auditors and to facilitate access to the documents requested by themprovided further documents to ECA; is aware that the principle of secrecy of deliberations is necessary to help preserve the independence of decision-makers, to promote consistency and finality of decisions and to prevent decision-makers from having to spend more time testifying about their decisions than making them; points out however, that the secrecy of deliberations as principle ab ovo prevents any external control, therefore invites the ECJ to develop an internal control/remedy mechanism in order to provide in such cases a certain level of control;
Amendment 131 #
2016/2152(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Is, however, not convinced of the effectiveness ofCalls for a more active approach in Parliament’'s communication strategy in respect oftowards those who are not automatically interested in Parliament’'s activities or are even sceptical about its functioning; invites the secretary- general to develop a new strategy toactions to further reach out also to these citizens and to concentrate in that respect less on “sending messages” than on facilitating access to information and on, facilitating access to information, making full use of Parliament's strong social media platforms and adequately addressing unjustified prejudices against the Parliament;
Amendment 144 #
2016/2152(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Is not convinced of the need to have information offices of the Parliament in all Member States, especially in view of the fact that for effective communication physical presence may not always be necessary and can easily be replaced by effective and responsive internet facilities; is in particular sceptical about having an information office in the cities of Brussels and Strasbourg as in both cities the Parliament itself can be visited and in addition for interested visitorsUnderlines the need to update the mission of the information offices of the Parliament so as to optimise the use of new communication technologies and patterns and take advantage of their privileged geographical position close to citizens for further intensifying the "going local" activities, such as organising debates with MEPs and civil society, with a view to listen to people and engage with them. Online debate and media attention triggered by therse is or will be a Parlameevents should contarium at bute to furtheir disposal;increase outreach to citizens.
Amendment 34 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas Union spending, while limited to 1% of the EU GNI, is a significant instrument for achieving policy objectives and on overage represents 1.9% of Union Member states general government expenditure;
Amendment 38 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that the seven year duration of the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is not synchronised with the five years mandates of the Parliament and the Commission; furthermore, points out that the 10 yearEU2020 strategic planning cycley is not aligned either with the seven year cycle for managing the EU budget; is of the opinion that this is one of the causes of a major deficiency of the Union political governance since the Parliament and the Commission are bound by previous agreements on political objectives and finances which may create the impression that the impact of the European elections are uselessis limited;
Amendment 47 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Is worried that in 2015 the share of the Climate-related spending of the EU budget was only 17.3% in 2015 and was only 17.6% in average for the period 2014-2016 according to the European Court of Auditors1a while the objective was to reach, at least, 20% over the financial period; stresses therefore that according to the ECA there is a serious risk that the 20% target will not be met without more effort to tackle climate change; _________________ 1a ECA special report 31/2016
Amendment 48 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Amendment 49 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Welcomes the performance based budgeting approach launched by the European Commission; considers that the EU budget should be more efficient and more effective than ever due to the scare financial resources; regrets however that the European Commission focuses mainly on the outputs rather than on the outcomes;
Amendment 55 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Endorses all recommendations made by the Court of Auditors in its special report 31/2016 and especially that the European Commission should explore all potential opportunities, including the midterm MFF revision and the revision of some legal bases, to ensure a further real shift towards climate action; calls on the ECA to issue a follow-up report on the Climate-related spending of the EU budget by the end of 2018
Amendment 60 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Calls on the Commission to take into account the Paris agreement and to increase immediately the Climate-related spending target in the EU budget from 20% to 30%;
Amendment 61 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Calls on the Commission to draft the forthcoming EU budgets in order to make it more efficient and more effective and to better align them with the EU 2020 targets, EU's climate targets, and EU's international commitments;
Amendment 65 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Regrets that the increasing use of such financial instruments, as also the financial instruments in shared management (the financial engineering instruments), poses higher risks for accountability and the coordination of Union policies and operations; points out the ECA special reports1a which stated that the Financial instruments do not work as expected and/or are oversized and/or are unsuccessful in attracting private capital; _________________ 1a ECA special report 05/2015 & 19/2016
Amendment 68 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Warns the European Commission that the Financial Instruments or any funding arrangement are not necessarily bound by the EU political objectives and targets and might finance projects which are not in line with the EU commitments;
Amendment 73 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Asks the European Court of Auditors to evaluate the contribution of the Financial Instruments and funding arrangements (as listed in para 13) to the EU 2020 strategy; calls on the Commission to take any relevant measures in order to ensure that the Financial Instruments and any funding arrangement are compatible with the EU strategy, targets and commitments the EU has taken;
Amendment 74 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes Commissioner Oettinger’s intention to bring the various shadow budgets, in the long run, back under the Union budget; Calls on the Commission to prepare a communication on this issue; is of the firm opinion that the forthcoming financial perspectives should be used in order to fix this problem, increase the democratic scrutiny over the shadow budgets and recreate the confidence in its institutions;
Amendment 98 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Deeply regrets that, as a consequence, there is a risk that delays in budget execution for the 2014-2020 programming period will be greater than those experienced for the 2007-2013; fears that the forthcoming MFF might start with an unprecedented high level of ''RAL'' which might endangered the management of the EU budget in the first years;
Amendment 103 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Stresses that the triggering of the Article 50 might create troubles in the way the EU budget is managed, especially concerning the payments; points out the need to cover this crucial element in any transitional or final agreement with any withdrawing Member State;
Amendment 123 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses that even if the situation has improved on recent years the most likely error rate is still significantly above the materiality threshold of 2%; stresses that if the Commission, the authorities in the Member States or the independent auditors had made use of all information available to them, they could have prevented, or detected and corrected a significant proportion of the errors before the related payments were made; considers inadmissible that available information are not used to reduce the level of errors; firmly believes that the Member states have a crucial role in this regards; urges the Members states to use all available information to prevent, detect and correct any error and to act accordingly;
Amendment 124 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. NoteRegrets that due to a change in the legal framework of the common agricultural policy in 2015, the Court no longer includes cross compliance in its transaction testing making the comparison with the previous financial year more difficult; in 2014, such errors contributed 0,6 percentage points to the overall estimated level of error for MFF heading 2 ‘Natural resources’ whilst their annual contribution to the overall estimated level of error was between 0,1 and 0,2 percentage points over the period 2011- 2014;
Amendment 132 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Points in particular to the fact that for more than three quarters of 2015, expenditure Commission directorates general base their estimates of amount at risk on data provided by national authorities whilst it appears from the annual activity reports of the concerned Commission directorates general (DG AGRI and DG REGIO) that the reliability of Member States control reports remains a challenge, although the data reporting of Member States has improved; considers unacceptable that the Member states do not cooperate fairly with the European Commission regarding the control reports and their reliability;
Amendment 144 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 a (new)
Paragraph 51 a (new)
51a. Calls on the Member States to deliver reliable data to the European Commission especially concerning the control reports;
Amendment 151 #
Amendment 152 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59 a (new)
Paragraph 59 a (new)
59a. Calls on the Commission to better evaluate in its next performance reports the outputs and the outcomes of each policies; calls on the Commission to clearly and synthetically show the contribution of the European policies to the EU objectives and to evaluate their respective contribution to the EU 2020 targets;
Amendment 156 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70
Paragraph 70
70. Is concerned by the fact that the Commission does not always use key performance concepts (for example, “output”, “results”, ''outcomes'', and “impact”) consistently;
Amendment 161 #
Amendment 162 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 a (new)
Paragraph 71 a (new)
71a. Calls on the Commission to present, in its future performance reports, the contribution of Horizon 2020 to Europe 2020 in a clear and exhaustive way;
Amendment 174 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 89 a (new)
Paragraph 89 a (new)
89a. Strongly condemns the fact that the Commission does not feel the need to further publish the EU Anti-corruption report; is of the opinion, that whatever the Commission's intentions on fighting corruption, this last minute cancellation sends out the wrong signal not only to the Member States but also to the citizens; reiterates its opinion that corruption is still a challenge for the EU and the Member States; and without effective anti-corruption measures it undermines the economic performance, the rule of law and the credibility of democratic institutions within the EU; Calls on the European Commission to finalise and publish the 2016 anti- corruption report, to act swiftly and robustly to eliminate corruption in the Member States and EU institutions, and to commission an independent assessment of the anti-corruption standards in the EU institutions themselves.
Amendment 175 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 89 b (new)
Paragraph 89 b (new)
89b. Strongly reiterates its call on the Commission to develop a system of strict indicators and easily applicable, uniform criteria, based on the requirements set out in the Stockholm Programme, to measure the level of corruption in the Member States and evaluate the Member States' anti-corruption policies; invites the Commission to develop a corruption index in order to categorise the Member States; is of the opinion that Corruption index could provide a sound basis on which the Commission could establish its country specific control mechanism when controlling the spending EU resources;
Amendment 184 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 92
Paragraph 92
92. RDeeply regrets that that the target to invest 3% of Member States’ gross domestic product (GDP) into research by 2020 will most likely not be met; considers therefore that the recurrent cuts in the EU budget concerning the research programs should be halted;
Amendment 195 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 107
Paragraph 107
107. Is concerned that FP7, according to the Commissioner, will not be fully executed and evaluated before 2020; this could cause delays in future follow-up programmes; urges the Commission to publish the evaluation report as soon as possible and at the latest before its presents the post Horizon 2020 research program;
Amendment 200 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111
Paragraph 111
111. Also regretsIs deeply concerned about the fact that, according to the Court89 , Horizon 2020 is not sufficiently performance driven; _________________ 89 European Court of Auditors, Annual Report 2015, Section 3
Amendment 203 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 113
Paragraph 113
113. Calls on the Member States to make an extra effort with the view to meeting the target of 3 % GDP being invested in research; this would boost excellence and innovation; calls on the Member states and the European Parliament to make an effort through the EU budget too;
Amendment 206 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 115
Paragraph 115
115. Calls onUrges the Commission to follow- up in particular the 16 cases of quantifiable errors, in which Commission, national authorities or independent auditors had sufficient information to prevent or detect and correct the errors before accepting the expenditure; and inform its competent committee in detail about the corrective measures taken before the end of October 2017;
Amendment 207 #
Amendment 208 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 118 a (new)
Paragraph 118 a (new)
118a. Takes note of the exclusive attribution of operating grants under budget line 04 03 01 05 "Information and training measures for workers´ organisations" to only two specific trade union institutes, the European Trade Union Institute and the European Centre for Workers Questions; reminds the Commission that operating grants and framework partnerships shall be basically treated as grants and hence be subject to open tendering procedures and publication; expresses its general concern regarding the justification of such attribution practices on grounds of de facto monopolies or bodies´ technical competence, high degree of specialisation or administrative power (Article 190 1 c, f Rules of Application); brings into consideration that in particular lasting exclusive attributions of operating grants to bodies on these grounds may actually lead to such de facto monopolies, high competences, specialisations and powers, hence further justifying exclusive attributions of operating grants on the basis of Article 190 of the Rules of Application;
Amendment 209 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 118 b (new)
Paragraph 118 b (new)
118b. Reminds the Commission in that regard that exceptions to the rules of transparency and publication as established in articles 125ff of the Financial Regulation are to be interpreted and applied restrictively; Invites the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission to strive towards clearly defining both the time frame and the scope of application for exceptions to the principles of transparency and publication, with the clear aim to further restrict their use;
Amendment 210 #
Amendment 211 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 118 c (new)
Paragraph 118 c (new)
118c. Requests the Commission to apply and interpret restrictively exceptions to the rules of transparency and publication as established in articles 125ff of the Financial Regulation; Requests the Commission to clearly define both the time frame and the scope of application for exceptions to the principles of transparency and publication, with the clear aim to further restrict their use;
Amendment 221 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 121
Paragraph 121
121. NoteHighlights, however, that very few programmes had a focus on results or measured impact; therefore little to nothing is known about the sustainability of the investments;
Amendment 224 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 122
Paragraph 122
122. Regrets that it is not informed about the measures, which the Commission asked Member States to undertake in the context of the European semester; calls on the Commission to inform the European Parliament about the measures taken by the Member states in the context of the European semester;
Amendment 228 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 125
Paragraph 125
125. Is concerned that Member States, in particular towards the end of a programming period, focussed on absorption funds available under national envelops rather than on achievement of policy objectives; calls on the European Commission to help the worst performing member states through technical assistance, especially at the end of the financial period;
Amendment 236 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 131
Paragraph 131
131. NotesIs worried about the fact that the Court quantified the estimated level of error at 5,2% (2014: 5,7%); is alarmed that the Court, as in previous years, had to conclude that “In 18 cases of quantifiable errors made by beneficiaries, national authorities had sufficient information to prevent or detect and correct the errors before declaring the expenditure to the Commission. I; urges the Member States to use all information to prevent, detect and correct the errors; urges the Commission to check whether the Member States use all information to prevent, detect or correct the errors; if all this information had been used, the estimated level of error for this chapter would have been 2,4 percentage points lower.”94 _________________ 94 European Court of Auditors, Annual Report concerning the financial year 2015, point 6.36
Amendment 265 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 156
Paragraph 156
156. Strongly regrets that for both areas, direct support and rural development, national authorities could have reduced the level of error to a level close to or below materiality98 as they either had sufficient information to detect the error or they made the error themselves; urges the Members states to use all available information to prevent, detect and correct any error and to act accordingly; _________________ 98 Avoiding these errors would have reduced our estimated level of error by 0.9 percentage points for “Market and direct support” and by 3.2 percentage points for “Rural development and other policies”.
Amendment 275 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 162
Paragraph 162
162. Notes that as in 2014, the Court examined performance related issues for selected rural development transactions and is concerned by the facts that there was insufficient evidence that costs were reasonable in 44 % of projects, and that there were deficiencies in targeting measures and selecting projects, including weak links to Europe 2020 objectives.; calls on the European Commission to take all possible measures to improve this worrying situation;
Amendment 284 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 168
Paragraph 168
168. Considers that direct payments may not fully play their role as a safety net mechanism for stabilising farm income, particularly for smaller farms, given that the current distribution of payments leads to 20% of all farms in the EU receiving 80% of all direct payments; is the opinion that larger farms do not necessarily need the same degree of support for stabilising farm incomes as smaller farms in times of income volatility crisis since they may benefit of potential economies of scale which are likely to make them more resilient; considers that capping the direct payments, as initially proposed by the European Commissions and endorsed by the European Parliament, could deliver sufficient financial resources to make the CAP fairer;
Amendment 296 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174 – point l a (new)
Paragraph 174 – point l a (new)
(la) reconsider the introduction of a binding capping for the direct payments;
Amendment 297 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 177
Paragraph 177
177. Notes that if all the information detained by the Commission - and the auditors appointed by the Commission - had been used to correct errors the estimated error rate for the chapter Global Europe would have been 1,6% points lower; urges the Commission to use all available information to prevent, detect and correct any error and to act accordingly;
Amendment 312 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 199
Paragraph 199
199. Recalls that one important aspect of the Union external relations is that the fight against poverty, the sustainable development and the establishment of democratic structures should have as indirect impact to create the conditions of prevenlimiting the uncontrolled arrival of irregular migrants in Europelevel of migration;
Amendment 330 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 212 a (new)
Paragraph 212 a (new)
212a. Stresses that the absolutely majority of the staff of the European Commission is composed by women (55%); stresses therefore that less that 30% of the senior managers (Directors and Directors-General) and 33% of middle managers (Heads of Units) are women; urges the Commission to be active in order to have, at least, 40% of women at managerial positions by end of 2019;
Amendment 335 #
Amendment 337 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 a (new)
Paragraph 214 a (new)
214a. Is of the firm opinion that there is a growing need for strong ethics regulation in order to fulfil Articles 17 TEU and 245 TFEU; insists that well- functioning codes of conduct demand continuous attention; stresses that a code of conduct is only an effective preventative measure if properly applied and if compliance is systematically reviewed, not only in cases of incidents.
Amendment 338 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 b (new)
Paragraph 214 b (new)
214b. Notes the Commission proposal to revise the code of conducts for commissioners; regrets however that the revision is limited to the extension of the cooling off period to three years only for the former President of the European Commission; calls on the Commission to review the code of conduct for Commissioners by the end of 2017, including by implementing the European Parliament's recommendation that the ad hoc ethical committee be reformed to extend its powers and include independent experts, by defining what constitutes a "conflict of interest", as well as introducing criteria for assessing the compatibility of post-office employment and extending the cooling off period to three years for all Commissioners;
Amendment 339 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 c (new)
Paragraph 214 c (new)
214c. Points out that an important step with regard to conflicts of interest is to increase the transparency of the European Commission President, the ad hoc ethical committee of the Commission and of the Secretariat General, when reviewing situations of potential conflict; notes that only if the opinions of the ethical committee are published proactively can the public hold the Commission accountable;
Amendment 340 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 d (new)
Paragraph 214 d (new)
214d. Calls on the College of Commissioners to take a decision now that the recommendation of the ethical ad-hoc committee in the case of the former Commission President has been finalised so as to refer the case to the European Court of Justice for it to give an opinion on the matter.
Amendment 341 #
Amendment 342 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 e (new)
Paragraph 214 e (new)
214e. Welcomes the Commission Decision of 30 May 2016 establishing horizontal rules on the creation and operation of Commission EGs, but regrets the fact that, despite many non- governmental organisations having expressed their interest, the Commission did not organise a full public consultation; reiterates the importance of reviving forms of involvement of representatives of civil society and the social partners in crucial areas such as the transparency and the functioning of the European institutions;
Amendment 343 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 f (new)
Paragraph 214 f (new)
214f. Recalls that a lack of transparency has a negative effect on the trust that EU citizens have in the EU institutions; believes that the effective reform of the Commission's EGs system, based on clear principles of transparency and balanced composition, will improve the availability and reliability of data, which will in turn help increase people's trust in the EU;
Amendment 344 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 g (new)
Paragraph 214 g (new)
214g. Takes the view that the Commission should make progress towards a more balanced composition of the EGs; deplores the fact, however, that as yet no express distinction is drawn between those representing economic and non-economic interests so as to guarantee a maximum of transparency and balance;
Amendment 345 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 h (new)
Paragraph 214 h (new)
214h. Recalls that both Parliament and the European Ombudsman have recommended to the Commission to make the agendas, background documents, minutes of meetings and deliberations of EGs public,
Amendment 346 #
Amendment 347 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 214 i (new)
Paragraph 214 i (new)
214i. Calls on the European Commission to publish the names, the function, the grade and the contract (working hours, length of the contract, place of work) of all special advisors; considers that there is a risk of conflict of interest with the special advisors; is therefore of the firm opinion that conflict of interest should be avoided as it would undermine the credibility of the institutions; calls on the Commission to publish the declarations of interest of the special advisors;
Amendment 1009 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 94 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Rule 94 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
The provisions governing the procedure for granting discharge to the Commission in accordance with Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in respect of the implementation of the budget, shall likewise apply to the procedure for granting discharge to:
Amendment 1012 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 94 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Rule 94 – paragraph 1 a (new)
The discharge to the bodies referred to in the fourth indent of the first paragraph shall be dealt with in a single report per body.
Amendment 108 #
2016/2098(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
Amendment 120 #
2016/2098(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 d (new)
Paragraph 30 d (new)
30d. Calls on the EIB to re-assess its specific attention to gas infrastructure projects, especially as gas demand in Europe is declining while new large-scale plans to build new pipelines and LNG terminals are emerging; expresses concern that the EIB investments in gas infrastructure could lead to investments in stranded assets;
Amendment 155 #
2016/2098(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Welcomes the report on the implementation of the EIB Group Transparency policy for 2015 and the upcoming review of the EIB whistleblowing policy, including the provision on external whistleblowers;
Amendment 191 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60 b (new)
Paragraph 60 b (new)
60 b. stresses that the Parliament and the Council, in order to create long term savings in the Union budget, must address the need for a roadmap to a single seat, as requested by the large majority of this Parliament in several resolutions;
Amendment 126 #
2016/0400(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – part I – point 2
Annex I – part I – point 2
Decision No 406/2009/EC
Article 3, Article 11(3), Article 12a, Article 13(2)
Article 3, Article 11(3), Article 12a, Article 13(2)
Amendment 117 #
2016/0392(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council11 should apply to the presentation and labelling of spirit drinks, save as otherwise provided for in this Regulation. __________________ 11 Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 (OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 18).
Amendment 120 #
2016/0392(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) Under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, most alcoholic beverages are not required to indicate a list of ingredients or a nutrition declaration. In its resolution of 29 April 2015 on Alcohol Strategy, the European Parliament stressed the need for, as a minimum, the calorie content of alcoholic beverages to be clearly stated on labels as soon as possible and for the European Commission to come forward with the corresponding legislative proposal at the latest in 2016. At a time of rising obesity, and in response to increased consumer demand for greater transparency, mandatory on-label information on nutrients and ingredients is essential to help consumers choose what and how much to drink.
Amendment 144 #
2016/0392(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 a (new)
Recital 21 a (new)
Amendment 224 #
2016/0392(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Products referred to in Article 1(1) placed on the Union market must comply with the labelling requirements set out in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, unless otherwise provided in this Regulation.
Amendment 277 #
2016/0392(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
2. The indication of the country or territory of origin of the ingredients shall not be required for spirit drinks.
Amendment 396 #
2016/0392(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Chapter 5 – title
Chapter 5 – title
Reporting and reviewing, delegation of power, implementing provisions, repeal and amendment, transitional and final provisions
Amendment 397 #
2016/0392(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 42 a (new)
Article 42 a (new)
SECTION -1 Reporting and review Article 42a Reporting and review as regards labelling for alcoholic drinks The Commission shall prepare a report assessing any self-regulatory proposals by the alcoholic beverages industry to provide information on ingredients and nutrition of all alcoholic beverages by the 31st of July 2018. That report shall in particular assess whether any self- regulatory proposal ensures that, as a minimum, ingredients and nutritional information is provided on-label and that such information complies with the voluntary food information required under Chapter V of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. If appropriate, the Commission shall accompany that report by a legislative proposal determining the rules for a list of ingredients or a mandatory nutrition declaration for all alcoholic beverages including spirit drinks.
Amendment 453 #
2016/0382(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 4
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 4
For the calculation of a Member State’s gross final consumption of energy from renewable energy sources, the contribution from biofuels and bioliquids, as well as from biomass fuels consumed in transport, if produced from food or feed crops, shall be no more than 7% of final consumption of energy in road and rail transport in that Member State. This limit shall be reduced to 3,80% in 2030 following the trajectory set out in part A of Annex X. Member States may set a lower limit and may distinguish between different types of biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels produced from food and feed oil crops, for instance by setting a lower limit for the contribution from food or feed crop based biofuels produced from oil crops, taking into account indirect land use change.
Amendment 1090 #
2016/0382(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex X – Part A
Annex X – Part A
Amendment 66 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 178
Recital 178
Amendment 126 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 265 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 265 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 30a
Article 30a
Amendment 219 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Up to 105% of the funds of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II), the European Neighbourhood Instrument and the financing instrument for development cooperation (DCI) may be kept unallocated at the beginning of the financial year to allow additional funding to respond to major unforeseen needs, new crises situations or significant political shifts in third countries, in addition to the amounts already programmed. These unallocated funds, if not committed during the year, should be carried over by a Decision of the Commission.
Amendment 221 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
Amendment 224 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
Amendment 230 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The information on the use of Union funds implemented under direct, indirect and shared implementation should be published in the Financial Transparency System and on an internet website of the institutions and should include at least the name, the locality, the amount and the purpose of the funds. That information should take into account relevant criteria such as the periodicity, the type and the importance of the measure.
Amendment 232 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Information on scholarships, and other direct support paid to natural persons in most need, such as unemployed people and refugees, should remain exempt from publication.
Amendment 235 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) IApart from the elements laid down in Recital 15, in the case of indirect and shared implementation, it should be for the persons, entities or designated bodies implementing Union funds to make available information on recipients and final recipients. Where applicable, the level of detail and criteria should be defined in the relevant sector specific rules and may be further defined in the financial framework partnership agreements. The Commission should make available a reference of the website where the information on recipients and final recipients can be found.
Amendment 251 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 57
Recital 57
(57) More emphasis should be put on performance and resultoutputs and outcomes. It is thus appropriate to define an additional form of financing not linked to costs of the relevant operations in addition to the forms of Union contribution already well established (reimbursement of the eligible costs actually incurred, unit cost, lump sums and flat-rate financing). This form of financing should be either based on the fulfilment of certain conditions ex ante or the achievement of results measured by reference to the previously set milestones or through performance indicators.
Amendment 255 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 60
Recital 60
Amendment 262 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 71
Recital 71
(71) A person or entity should be excluded by the authorising officer responsible when a final judgment or a final administrative decision has been taken in the case of grave professional misconduct, non-compliance, whether intentional or not, with the obligations related to the payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes, tax good governance standards including fair tax competition, fraud affecting the budget , corruption, participation in a criminal organisation, money laundering, terrorist financing, terrorist related offences, child labour or other forms of trafficking in human beings or irregularity. It should also be excluded in the case of a serious breach of a legal commitment or bankruptcy. It should also be excluded in the case it does not comply with tax transparency and publicly disclose country by country reporting information as foreseen in Directive 2013/34/EU.
Amendment 278 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 96
Recital 96
(96) It is important to recognise the specific naturimprove the nature and the use of blending facilities where the Commission blends its contribution with that of Financial Institutions and to clarify the application of Title X on Financial Instruments.
Amendment 283 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 124
Recital 124
(124) It is necessary to clarify the scope of the Title on grants, particularly with regard to the type of action or body eligible for a grant as well as with regard to legal commitments that may be used to cover grants. In particular, grant decisions should be phased out due to their limited use and progressive introduction of e-grants. The structure should be simplified by moving the provisions on instruments which are not grants to other parts of the Regulation. The nature of bodies which may receive operating grants should be clarified since the notion of bodies pursuing an aim of general Union interest is covered by the notion of bodies having an objective forming part of and supporting a Union policy. In addition, the restrictive definition of a body pursuing an aim of general Union interests should be removed.
Amendment 289 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 131 a (new)
Recital 131 a (new)
(131 a)In order to protect one of the fundamental principles of the public finances, the non-profit rule should be kept in this Regulation. The non-profit rule should be seen as one of the main instruments to avoid misuse of the public money.
Amendment 292 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 139
Recital 139
(139) Financial instruments, budgetary guarantees and, financial assistance and Trust Funds should be authorised by means of a basic act. Where financial instruments are established without a basic act in duly justified cases, they should be authorised by the European Parliament and the Council in the budget.
Amendment 297 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 144
Recital 144
(144) It should be clarified that, where financial instruments are combined with other forms of support from the Union budget, the rules on financial instrumentsstemming from the sector-specific legislation should apply. Such rules should be complemented, where applicable, by specific requirements stemming from the sector specific legislationon financial instruments.
Amendment 317 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 163 a (new)
Recital 163 a (new)
(163 a)Trust funds constitute a problematic financial instrument as they may seriously alter budgets adopted by the budgetary authorities and bear the risk of using funds from financing instruments for purposes not foreseen in the latter's basic act. Trust funds do, however, add value through pooling of resources as long as this pooling is not mostly limited to Union resources.
Amendment 319 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 164
Recital 164
(164) The Commission should be authorised to create and manage Union trust funds for emergency, post-emergencexclusively for thematic actions not only in external actions but also in EU-internal actions. Recent events in the European Union show the need for increased flexibilitexternal actions for emergency, post-emergency for funding within the EU. As the boundaries between external and internal policies are increasingly blurred, this would also provide a tool for replying to cross-border challengethematic actions. It is necessary to specify the principles applicable to the contributions to Union Trust Funds, to clarify the responsibilities of the financial actors and of the Board of the Trust Fund. It is also necessary to define rules ensuring the representation of the European Parliament, a fair representation of the participating donors in the Board of the Trust Fund and a mandatory positive vote of the Commission for the use of the funds.
Amendment 322 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 167
Recital 167
(167) The manner in which the institutions currently report on building projects to the European Parliament and the Council should be maintainimproved. Institutions should be allowed to finance new building projects with the appropriations received for buildings already sold, therefore a reference to assigned revenue provisions should be introduced. This would allow meeting the changing needs in the building policy of the institutions, while saving costs and introducing more flexibility.
Amendment 323 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 169
Recital 169
Amendment 330 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 178
Recital 178
Amendment 335 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 184
Recital 184
Amendment 381 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 51 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 51 a (new)
51 a. 'small grant' means a grant above EUR 60 000 and lower than or equal to EUR 250 000;
Amendment 383 #
2016/0282(COD)
60 a. 'withdrawing Member State' means a Member State which has officially triggered Article 50 of the TEU and whose final agreement with the Union has not entered into force;
Amendment 384 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 60 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 60 b (new)
60 b. 'provisional agreement' means a temporary agreement agreed between the Union and a withdrawing Member State which shall end with the entry into force of the final agreement agreed between the Union and the withdrawing Member State;
Amendment 385 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 60 c (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 60 c (new)
60 c. 'volunteer' means a person doing an unpaid non-compulsory activity for a non-profit organisation.
Amendment 389 #
2016/0282(COD)
(e) appropriations kept unallocated at the beginning of the financial year relating to the funds referred to in Regulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre- accession Assistance (IPA II), Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) and Regulation (EU) No 233/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation for the period 2014-2020 (DCI), within a limit of 105% of the initial appropriations of each instrument.
Amendment 394 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 12 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) amounts corresponding to commitment and payment appropriations for the Emergency Aid Reserve and for the European Union Crisis ReserveGlobalization Adjustment Fund and to commitment appropriations for the European Union Solidarity Fund;
Amendment 401 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. In respect of non-differentiated appropriations a distinction shall be made between planned and unplanned carry- overs. The definition and reporting of those categories shall be established by the Commission in cooperation with the Court of Auditors.
Amendment 404 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Without prejudice to paragraphs (1) and (2), decommitted appropriations made in year n-2 shall be made available again to the European Union Crisis Reserve in the framework of the budgetary procedure for the year nGlobal Margin for Commitments as referred to in Article 14 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013.
Amendment 405 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 406 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
If the continuity of action by the Union so require, the Council, acting by qualified majorityEuropean Parliament, acting by a majority of its component Members on a proposal of the Commission, may authorise expenditure in excess of one provisional twelfth but not exceeding the total of four provisional twelfths, excluding the one twelfth made automatically available, except in duly justified cases, both for commitments and for payments over and above those automatically made available in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2. It shall forward the decision on authorisation without delay to the European ParliamentCouncil.
Amendment 407 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – introductory part
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – introductory part
The decision referred to in the first subparagraph shall enter into force 30 days following its adoption unless the European ParliamentCouncil takes any of the following actions:
Amendment 408 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point a
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point a
(a) acting by a majority of its component Membersqualified majority, decides to reduce that expenditure within that time limit, in which case the Commission shall submit a new proposal;
Amendment 409 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point b
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point b
(b) informs the CouncilEuropean Parliament and the Commission that it does not wish to reduce that expenditure, in which case the decision shall enter into force before the expiry of the 30 days.
Amendment 411 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 a (new)
Article 22 a (new)
Article 22 a Assigneed revenue resulting from the participation of a withdrawing Member State in certain Union programmes 1. The budget structure to accommodate the revenue provided for in Article 20(2)(e) shall be as follows: in the statement of revenue, a line with a token entry pro memoria shall be entered to accommodate the full amount of the withdrawing Member State's contribution for the financial year in question; 2. Under the provisional agreement the amounts of the annual participation of the withdrawing Member State shall give rise to the provision, at the start of the financial year, of the full amounts of the corresponding commitment appropriations and payment appropriations.
Amendment 414 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. On the basis of specific internal rules Union institutions and bodies may exceptionallyshall not accept in kind corporate sponsoring provided that:.
Amendment 415 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point a
Amendment 417 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point b
Amendment 418 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point c
Amendment 420 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 6
Article 28 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 6
Three weeks before making the transfers referred to in point (b) of the first subparagraph of this Article, the Commission shall inform the European Parliament and the Council of its intention to do so. In the event that duly justified reasons are raised within that period by the European Parliament or the Council, the procedure laid down in Article 29 shall apply.
Amendment 421 #
2016/0282(COD)
The Commission may submit proposals for transfers of payment appropriations to the funds managed under shared implementation with the exception of the EAGF to the European Parliament and the Council by 10 January of the following financial year. The transfer of the payment appropriations may be made from any item of the budget. The six-week period referred to in paragraph 3 shall be reduced to three weeks.
Amendment 422 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Article 29 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 430 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 30 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Decisions on transfers to allow the use of the emergency aid reserve and the European Union Crisis ReserveGlobalization Adjustment Fund shall be taken by the European Parliament and the Council on a proposal from the Commission.
Amendment 432 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 3 – introductory part
Article 30 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 3 – introductory part
Proposals for transfers from the emergency aid reserve and the European Union Crisis ReserveGlobalization Adjustment Fund shall be accompanied by appropriate and detailed supporting documents demonstarting:
Amendment 433 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 5
Article 30 – paragraph 5
Amendment 440 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 35 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 35 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
The budgets shall be published within three monthfour weeks of the date on which they are declared definitively adopted.
Amendment 441 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 36 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
The information on recipients of Union’s funds implemented under direct implementation shall be published on an internet site of the Union institutions and in the Financial Transparency System, no later than 30 June of the year following the financial year in which the funds were legally committed.
Amendment 448 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. The Commission, with the help of the Member States, shall make available, in an appropriate and timely manner, information on recipients, as well as the nature and purpose of the measure financed from the budget, where the latter is implemented directly in accordance with point (b) of Article 61(1). The obligation set out in the first subparagraph shall also apply to local authorities when they implement the Union budget. The information on recipients of Union's funds implemented under shared implementation shall be published on an internet site of the Union institutions, no later than 30 June of the year following the financial year in which the funds were legally committed. The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall be made available, having due regard for the requirements of confidentiality and security, in particular the protection of personal data and shall include the following: (a) the name of the recipient; (b) the locality of the recipient; (c) the amount legally committed; (d) the nature and purpose of the measure. For the purposes of point b) of the fourth subparagraph the term ‘locality’ shall mean: (i) the address of the recipient when the latter is a legal person (ii) the Region on NUTS 2 level when the recipient is a natural person This information shall only be published for prizes, grants and contracts which have been awarded as a result of contests or grant award procedures or public procurement procedures, and for experts which have been selected pursuant to Article 230(2). The information shall not be published for: (i)education supports paid to natural persons and other direct support paid to natural persons most in need as referred to in point (b) of Article 185(4) (ii) very low value contracts awarded to experts selected pursuant to Article 230(2) as well as very low value contracts below the amount referred to in point 14.4 of the Annex to this Regulation The internet site of the Union institutions shall contain at least a reference to the address of the website where the information can be found if it is not published directly on the dedicated place of the internet site of the Union institutions. Where natural persons are concerned, the publication shall be limited to the name and locality of the recipient, the amount legally committed and the purpose of the measure. The disclosure of those data shall be based on relevant criteria such as the periodicity, or the type or importance of the measure. As far as personal data are concerned, the information shall be removed two years after the end of the financial year in which the amount was legally committed. The same shall apply to personal data referring to legal persons for whom the official title identifies one or more natural persons. The publication shall be waived if such disclosure risks threatening the rights and freedoms of individuals concerned as protected by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union or harm the commercial interests of the recipients.
Amendment 452 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Article 36 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
The information on final recipients of funds provided through financial instruments who receive support from the Union budget for an amount lower than EUR 5100 000, shall be limited to statistical data, aggregated in accordance with relevant criteria, such as geographical situation, economic typology of recipients, type of support received and the Union policy area under which such support was provided.
Amendment 453 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. The publications as referred in to this Article shall be available on a single website under the responsibility of the Commission.
Amendment 455 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 39 – paragraph 3 – point b – point iii
Article 39 – paragraph 3 – point b – point iii
(iii) the number of posts actually filled at the beginning of the year in which the draft budget is presented, indicating their distribution by grade and, by administrative unit and by gender;
Amendment 459 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 39 – paragraph 6
Article 39 – paragraph 6
6. Where the Commission makes use of Union Trust Funds, it shall attach to the draft budget a working document on the activities supported by Union Trust Funds, on their implementation and performance and how the actions under the Trust Funds have contributed to the objectives laid down in the basic act of the instrument from which the Union contribution to the Trust Funds were provided.
Amendment 461 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 42 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 42 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Before presenting a draft amending budget, the Commission and the other institutions shall examine the scope for reallocation of the relevant appropriations, with particular reference to any expected under- implementation of appropriations without putting into danger programmes already adopted and being implemented especially those contributing to the Union objectives.
Amendment 462 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 44 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 44 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) separate sections for each institution, with the exception of the European Council and the Council which shall share the same section, subdivided into statements of revenue and expenditure.
Amendment 465 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 49 – title
Article 49 – title
Emergency Aid Reserve and European Union Crisis ReserveGlobalization Adjustment Fund
Amendment 466 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 49 – paragraph 1
Article 49 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission section of the budget shall include a reserve for emergency aid for third countries and a European Union Crisis Reservereserve for the European Globalization Adjustment Fund.
Amendment 470 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 54 – paragraph 3
Article 54 – paragraph 3
3. Citizens may be consulted on the preparation and the implementation of the Union budget by the Commission, Member States or any other entity implementing the Union budget. Such consultations shall be encouraged as much as possible, including through the representative associations. The consultation as referred in to the first subparagraph shall respect the principle of transparency, diversity and proportionality, whereas: (i) transparency means that the consultation shall be public and accessible to a wide public; (ii) diversity means that the consultation shall not lead to an overrepresentation of a certain group or part of the societies; (iii) proportionality means that the consultation, and the inherent costs, shall be consistent with the size of the project or programme.
Amendment 475 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 56 – paragraph 2 – point a – paragraph 2
Article 56 – paragraph 2 – point a – paragraph 2
The total amount of appropriations for the pilot projects shall not exceed EUR 460 000 000 in any financial year.
Amendment 477 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 56 – paragraph 2 – point b – paragraph 2
Article 56 – paragraph 2 – point b – paragraph 2
The total amount of appropriations for new preparatory actions referred to under this point shall not exceed EUR 750 000 000 in any financial year, and the total amount of appropriations actually committed for preparatory actions shall not exceed EUR 1050 000 000.
Amendment 482 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 62 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 62 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) cooperating with the Commission, OLAF and the European Court of Auditors.
Amendment 484 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 62 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 5
Article 62 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 5
In addition, Member States mayshall provide to the Commission and the European Parliament declarations signed at the appropriate level based on the information referred to in this paragraph.
Amendment 485 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 62 – paragraph 9
Article 62 – paragraph 9
Amendment 487 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 62 – paragraph 9
Article 62 – paragraph 9
9. Resources allocated to Member States under shared implementation may alsoshall not be used in combination with operations and instruments carried out under Regulation 2015/1017 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2015 on the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the European Investment Advisory Hub and the European Investment Project Portal and amending Regulations (EU) No 1291/2013 and (EU) No 1316/2013 as it may jeopardize the principle of the unity of the Union budget and may undermine the Union programmes and objectives.
Amendment 493 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 69 – paragraph 6
Article 69 – paragraph 6
6. An independent external auditor shall verify that the annual accounts of each of the bodies referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article properly present the income, expenditure and financial position of the relevant body prior to the consolidation in the Commission's final accounts. Unless otherwise provided in the basic act referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Court of Auditors shall be considered as the external auditor and shall prepare a Specific Annual Report on each body in line with the requirements of Article 287(1) TFEU. In preparing this report, the Court shall consider the audit work performed by the independent external auditor and the action taken in response to the auditor's findings.
Amendment 496 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 70 – paragraph 5
Article 70 – paragraph 5
Paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 46 of Article 69 shall apply to public-private partnership bodies.
Amendment 500 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 73 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 3
Article 73 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 3
Where the authorising officer by delegation implements financial audits of beneficiaries as ex-post controls, the related audit rules shall be clear, consistent and transparent, andincluding timeframe. They shall be available to beneficiaries when signing the grant agreement. Audit rules shall respect the rights of both the Commission and the auditees.
Amendment 503 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 73 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2 – point a
Article 73 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2 – point a
(a) that the authorising officers by sub- delegation and their staff receive regularly updated and appropriate information and training concerning the control standards and the methods and techniques available for that purpose on the basis of common guidelines;
Amendment 505 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 86 – paragraph 5
Article 86 – paragraph 5
5. The accounting officer shall carry out, or have carried out by a staff member in his own department or in the authorising department specially empowered for that purpose, checks, which must as a general rule be effected on the spot and, where appropriaten necessary, without warning, to verify the existence of the funds allocated to the imprest administrators and the bookkeeping and to check that imprest transactions are settled within the time- limit set. The accounting officer shall communicate the findings of those checks to the authorising officer responsible.
Amendment 508 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 99 – paragraph 5
Article 99 – paragraph 5
5. Each institution shall send to the European Parliament and Council each year a report on the waivers referred to in this paragraph involving EUR 100 000 or more. In the case of the Commission, that report shall be annexed to the summary of the annual activity reports referred to in Article 73(9).
Amendment 514 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 114 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 114 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) 960 calendar days for contribution agreements, contracts and, grant agreements involving technical services or actions which are particularly complex to evaluate and for which payment depends on the approval of a report or a certificate;
Amendment 516 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 114 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 114 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) 6045 calendar days for all other contribution agreements, contracts and, grant agreements for which payment depends on the approval of a report or a certificate;
Amendment 518 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 115 – paragraph 1
Article 115 – paragraph 1
1. Each institution shall establish an internal auditing function which shall be performed in compliance with the relevant international standards. The internal auditor appointed by the institution shall be accountable to the latter for verifying the proper operation of budgetary implementation systems and procedures. The internal auditor shall be independent in performing his or her tasks and he may be neither authorising officer nor accounting officer.
Amendment 528 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 122 – paragraph 1
Article 122 – paragraph 1
The Commission shall refrain from relying on assessments made by other entities. In duly justified cases it may rely in full or in part on assessments made by itself or other entities, including donors, insofar as these assessments were made with regard to conditions equivalent to those set out in this Regulation for the applicable method of budget implementation. To this end, the Commission shall promote the recognition of internationally accepted standards or international best practices.
Amendment 529 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 123 – paragraph 1
Article 123 – paragraph 1
Amendment 533 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 124 – paragraph 2
Article 124 – paragraph 2
2. Any person or entity receiving Union funds under direct, shared and indirect implementation shall agree in writing to grant the necessary rights as referred to in paragraph 1. This includes the obligation for any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds to ensure equivalent rights.
Amendment 537 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 125
Article 125
Amendment 539 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 125 – paragraph 1
Article 125 – paragraph 1
Resources allocated to Member States under shared implementation may, at their request and after having informed the Commission and the European Parliament, be transferred to instruments established under this Regulation or under sectore same specific Regulations. The Commission shall implement these resources in accordance with point (a) or (c) of Article 61(1), where possible for the benefit of the Member State concerned. In addition resources allocated to Member States under shared implementation may at their request be used to enhance the risk-bearing capacity of the EFSI. In such cases, EFSI rules shall apply.
Amendment 541 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 126 – paragraph 6
Article 126 – paragraph 6
6. In the case of financial framework partnership agreement implemented through specific grants the verification of the operational and financial capacity referred to in Article 191 shall be performed before signature of the financial framework partnership agreement. The Commission may rely on an equivalent verification of the financial and operational capacity carried out by other donors.
Amendment 549 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 147 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 147 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Except for low value contracts and low value grants, and small grants, the authorising officer responsible may, if proportionate and subject to a risk-analysis, require a guarantee to be submitted:
Amendment 556 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 150 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 150 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) comply with relevant standards and applicable legislation on the prevention of money laundering, and the fight against terrorism, tax fraud and tax evasion, tax evasion and tax good governance standards including fair tax competition. They shall also comply with tax transparency and publicly disclose country by country reporting information as foreseen in Directive 2013/34/EU;
Amendment 559 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 151 a (new)
Article 151 a (new)
Amendment 565 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 166 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a – point iii
Article 166 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a – point iii
(iii) any increase in price, including the net cumulative value of successive modifications, does not exceed 250 % of the initial contract value;
Amendment 566 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 166 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point b – point ii
Article 166 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point b – point ii
(ii) any increase in price does not exceed 250 % of the initial contract value;
Amendment 570 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 174 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 174 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) the functioning of a body which has an objective forming part of, and supporting,pursues an aim of general Union interest or has an objective forming part of, and contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of a Union policy ('operating grants').
Amendment 572 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 175 – paragraph 2
Article 175 – paragraph 2
2. Where possible and appropriate, lump sums, unit costs or flat rates shall be determined in such a way as to allow their payment upon achievement of concrete outputs and outcomes.
Amendment 574 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 175 – paragraph 4 – point d
Article 175 – paragraph 4 – point d
(d) where possible, the essential conditions triggering the payment, including, where applicable, the achievement of outputs and outcomes;
Amendment 577 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 175 – paragraph 6
Article 175 – paragraph 6
6. The authorising officer responsible may authorise or impose, in the form of flat-rates, funding of the beneficiary's indirect costs up to a maxinimum of 7 15% of total eligible direct costs for the action. A higher flat rate may be authorised by a reasoned Commission decision.
Amendment 582 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 175 – paragraph 8
Article 175 – paragraph 8
8. Beneficiaries may declare personnel costs for the work carried out by volunteers under an action or work programme, on the basis of unit costs authorised in accordance with paragraphs 1 to 6. Volunteers' engagement is to be understood as unpaid non-compulsory activity performed through a non-profit organization.
Amendment 583 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 177 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 177 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The authorising officer responsible shall check, at the latest before the payment of the balance, the fulfilment of the conditions triggering the payment of lump sums, unit costs or flat-rates, including, where required, the achievement of outputs and outcomes. In addition, the fulfilment of those conditions may be subject to ex post controls.
Amendment 585 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 178 – paragraph 1
Article 178 – paragraph 1
The method for determining lump sums, unit costs or flat rates, the underlying data and the resulting amounts shall be assessed periodically, and at least every 2 years, and, where appropriate, adjusted in accordance with Article 175.
Amendment 590 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 183 – paragraph -1 (new)
Article 183 – paragraph -1 (new)
–1. Grants shall be subject to a work programme, to be published prior to its implementation.
Amendment 593 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 183 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 183 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. Following the publication referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, when requested by the European Parliament and the Council,, 2 and 3 the Commission shall forwardmake pubic a report to them on:
Amendment 594 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 183 a (new)
Article 183 a (new)
Article 183 a No-profit principle 1. For the purpose of this Title, profit shall be defined as a surplus of the receipts over the eligible costs incurred by the beneficiary, when the request is made for payment of the balance. 2. The receipts referred to in paragraph 1 shall be limited to income generated by the action or work programme, as well as financial contributions specifically assigned by donors to the financing of the eligible costs. 3. In the case of an operating grant, amounts dedicated to the building up of reserves shall not be taken into account for the purpose of verifying compliance with the no-profit principle. 4. Financial contributions from third parties that may be used by the beneficiary to cover other costs than those eligible under the grant or that are not due to the third party where they are not used at the end of the action or work programme, shall not be considered as financial contributions specifically assigned by the donors to the financing of the eligible costs within the meaning of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3.
Amendment 597 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 184 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 184 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
In-kind contributions from third parties for the purpose of the co-financing shall include volunteers' work, use of equipment, supplies, meeting facilities and services.
Amendment 598 #
2016/0282(COD)
3. As an exception to paragraph 1 an external action may be financed in full by the grant where this is undertaken by a partner of the Union that demonstrates its compliance with the EC rules and requirements (through the ex-ante assessmential for it to be carried ou) may be financed in full by the grant. In such a case grounds shall be provided in the award decision.
Amendment 601 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 186 – paragraph 4
Article 186 – paragraph 4
4. In the case of operating grants, the grant agreement shall be signed within sixthree months of the start of the beneficiary's financial year. Costs eligible for financing may neither have been incurred before the grant application was submitted nor before the start of the beneficiary's financial year. The first payment shall be done within two months after the signature of the grant agreement.
Amendment 606 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 187 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 187 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) for informing all applicants of the outcome of the evaluation of their application, a maximum of sixthree months from the final date for submission of complete proposals;
Amendment 607 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 187 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 187 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) for signing grant agreements with applicants a maximum of threone months from the date of informing applicants that they have been successful.
Amendment 608 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 188 – paragraph 2
Article 188 – paragraph 2
The cases referred to in points (c) and (f) of the first subparagraph shall be duly substantiated in the award decision. The exceptions referred to in point (c) and (f) of the first subparagraph shall be interpreted and applied restrictively by the Union institutions and bodies or the Member States. The Union institutions and bodies or the Member States shall clearly define both the time frame and the scope of application for the exceptions referred to in point (c) and (f) of the first subparagraph.
Amendment 611 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 191 – paragraph 5 – point b
Article 191 – paragraph 5 – point b
(b) natural persons most in need, such as unemployed persons and refugees, and in receipt of direct support;
Amendment 619 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 201 – paragraph 1
Article 201 – paragraph 1
1. TIn order to achieve its objectives, the Union may establish financial instruments or provide budgetary guarantees or financial assistance backed by the general budget by means of a basic act. The financial instruments shall be complementary to the other form of budgetary intervention.
Amendment 621 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 201 – paragraph 3
Article 201 – paragraph 3
3. Where financial instruments are implemented under shared implementation with Member States, sector specific rules apply, without prejudice to subparagraph 2 of Article 208(2).
Amendment 622 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 201 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 201 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. The Court of Auditors shall have full access to any information related to the financial instruments, budgetary guarantees and financial assistance including by on-spot checks. Unless provided otherwise in the basic act, the Court of Auditors shall be considered as the external auditor responsible for the projects and programmes supported by a financial instrument, a budgetary guarantee or a financial assistance.
Amendment 630 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 203 – paragraph 3
Article 203 – paragraph 3
3. The annual assessment provided for by point (j) of Article 39(5) of the sustainability of the contingent liabilities arising from budgetary guarantees or financial assistance borne by the budget of the Union shall be carried out within the limitlculated over and above the ceilings set by the multiannual financial framework regulation provided for by Article 312(2) TFEU and within the ceiling on annual payments appropriations defined in Article 3(1) of the Council Decision on the system of own resources of the European Union .
Amendment 632 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 208 – paragraph 1
Article 208 – paragraph 1
1. Notwithstanding Article 201(1), fFinancial instruments may be established, in duly justified cases, without being authorised by means of a basic act, provided that such instruments are included in the budget in accordance with point (e) of Article 50(1).
Amendment 634 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 208 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 208 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 636 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 208 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 208 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Where a financial instrument is established for the purpose of implementing Article 39 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013with a contribution from a budgetary guarantee of the Union, this Title shall apply with the exception of Article 201(1)e sector-specific rules of that Regulation shall apply. It shall be implemented in accordance with Article 61(1)(c).
Amendment 638 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 208 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 208 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. The Commission shall, on an annual basis, report to the European Parliament and the Council on the efficiency and effectiveness of the financial instruments as referred to points (a), (b) and (c) of Article 61(1). On its annual report, the Commission shall clearly demonstrate the added-value of the financial instruments, shall be able to identify the final beneficiaries of the funds and shall be able to list the projects financed by the financial instruments.
Amendment 649 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 226 – paragraph 1
Article 226 – paragraph 1
Amendment 650 #
Amendment 652 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 227 – paragraph 1
Article 227 – paragraph 1
1. FOnly in duly justified cases and for emergency, post-emergency or thematic actions within the external actions, the Commission may create, after informingby the means of a basic act adopted by the European Parliament and the Council according to the ordinary legislative procedure, trust funds under an agreement concluded with other donors. The constitutive act of each trust fund shall define the objectives of the trust fund. The Commission decision establishingbasic act of the trust fund shall include a description of the fund's objectives, the justification for its creation in accordance with paragraph 3, an indication of its duration and the preliminary agreements with other donors. In no circumstances shall a trust fund be created within the Union.
Amendment 656 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 227 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 227 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Trust funds may only be created if they allow pooling of resources not limited mostly to resources from the Union budget and the European Development Fund. If 80 % or more of the resources foreseen for the trust fund stem from these two sources, the Commission shall refrain from proposing the creation of that trust fund.
Amendment 659 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 227 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 227 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) there is added value based on previous impact assessment to the Union intervention: trust funds shall only be created and implemented at Union level where their objectives, in particular by reason of their scale or potential effects, may be better achieved at Union level than at national level;
Amendment 663 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 227 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
Article 227 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
(ba) Union trust funds shall be exclusively implemented outside the Union.
Amendment 664 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 227 – paragraph 3 – point b b (new)
Article 227 – paragraph 3 – point b b (new)
(bb) Union trust funds objectives shall be aligned with the objectives of the Union instruments from which they are resourced.
Amendment 665 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 227 – paragraph 4
Article 227 – paragraph 4
4. A board chaired by the Commission shall be established for each Union trust fund to ensure the fair representation of the European Parliament; the donors, and of the non-contributing Member States as observers, and to decide upon the use of the funds. The rules for composition of the board and its internal rules shall be laid down in the constitutive act of the trust fund adopted by the Commission and adhered to by the donors. Those rules shall include the requirement to have the positive vote of the Commission for the final decision on the use of the funds.
Amendment 667 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 227 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 227 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Union trust funds shall be created for a limited duration determined in their constitutive act. This duration may be extended by a decision of the Commissionthe European Parliament and the Council acting according to the ordinary legislative procedure upon request of the board of the trust fund concerned.
Amendment 669 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 228 – paragraph 2
Article 228 – paragraph 2
2. Actions financed under Union trust funds may be implemented directly by the Commission pursuant to point (a) of Article 61(1) and in indirect implementation with the entities pursuant to points (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of Article 61(1)(c) and shall comply with the financial rules.
Amendment 671 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 228 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Article 228 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Financial reporting on the operations carried out by each trust fund shall be established twice every year by the authorising officer. The Commission shall in addition report at least every 6 months on the implementation of each trust fund according to qualitative criteria such as the nature of projects and programmes supported, the selection procedure, geographical and thematic priorities, the supervision of intermediaries and on how the trust fund contributes to the fulfilment of the objectives foreseen in the basic act of the Union instruments contributing to its financing.
Amendment 673 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 228 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3
Article 228 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 674 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 228 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3 a (new)
Article 228 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3 a (new)
The trust funds shall be part of the discharge procedure in accordance with Article 319 TFEU.
Amendment 675 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 234 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 234 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) the consolidated annual accounts which present, in accordance with the accounting rules referred to in Article 79 and in particular with the the materiality principle, the consolidation of the financial information contained in the financial statements and the budget accounts of the bodies referred to in Articles 69 and 70 and instruments referred to in Title X and of other bodies meeting the accounting consolidation criteria.
Amendment 680 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 250 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 250 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
The Court of Auditors shallmay take, alls appropriate, necessary steps to ensure that the replies of eachthe institutions to its observations are published next to or after each observation to which they relate.
Amendment 682 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 251 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 6
Article 251 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 6
The Court of Auditors shall take allmay take, as appropriate, necessary steps to ensure that the replies to its observations from eachthe institutions or bodyies concerned are published next to or after eachthe observations to which they relate, and publish the timeline for the drawing up of the special report.
Amendment 683 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 254 – paragraph 1
Article 254 – paragraph 1
1. In accordance with Article 319 TFEU and Article 106a of the Euratom Treaty, the Commission, the other institutions and the bodies referred to in Articles 69 and 70 and the instruments referred in to Title X of this Regulation shall take all appropriate steps to act on the observations accompanying the European Parliament's discharge decision and on the comments accompanying the recommendation for discharge adopted by the Council.
Amendment 685 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 258 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 4
Article 258 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 4
If the European Parliament and/or the Council raise duly justified concerns within that four- week period, that period shall be extended once by two weeks.
Amendment 686 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 258 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 258 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. The period referred in to the second subparagraph of paragraph 3 shall be extended to six weeks if the information is submitted to the European Parliament and the Council in December or August. The period referred in to the second subparagraph of paragraph 3 shall be extended to eight weeks if the information is submitted to the European Parliament and the Council in July. The institutions shall refrain to present building projects according to paragraph 4 in July, August and December. In such case, the period referred in to the first and second subparagraphs of this paragraph shall apply mutadis muntadis.
Amendment 691 #
2016/0282(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 261 – paragraph 6
Article 261 – paragraph 6
6. A delegated act shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or by the Council within a period of twohree months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or the Council.
Amendment 874 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a Where a performer has transferred or assigned the exclusive right of making available on demand, and independent of any agreed terms for such transfer or assignment, the performer shall have the right to obtain an equitable remuneration to be paid by the user for the making available to the public of his fixed performance. The right of the performer to obtain an equitable remuneration for the making available to the public of his performance shall be unwaivable and collected and administered by a performers' collective management organization.
Amendment 28 #
2015/2161(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Takes note of the Ombudsman´s calculations with regard to potential savings of EUR 195 000 should there be only one seat of the institution; takes into account that the seat of the Ombudsman is tied with the seat of the Parliament and therefore deems it necessary that the Ombudsman is included in any debate on centralisation of the Parliament´s seat; stresses that such centralization should be actively promoted;
Amendment 23 #
2015/2155(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Stresses that the Court of Auditors report adopted on 11.07.2014 states that the potential saving for the EU budget would be about 114 million EUR per year if the European Parliament centralised its activities; reiterates the call on Parliament and the Council to address, in order to create long term savings, the need for a roadmap to a single seat, as stated by Parliament in several previous resolutions;
Amendment 22 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the Commission is the ultimate responsible for the implementation of the Union budget while the Member States have to sincerely cooperate with the Commission to ensure that the appropriations are used in accordance with the principles of sound financial management; whereas Member States, especially under shared management of funds, have a special responsibility for implementing the Union budget;
Amendment 23 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas it is crucial that, under shared management of funds, the data communicated by the Member States are fair and accurate; whereas it is crucial that Member States understand their own responsibility for the management of the Union funds under shared management;
Amendment 56 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 – point a
Paragraph 21 – point a
(a) better aligning the MFF to the Europe 2020 Sstrategy and the MFFproposing its revision if needed to better match the Europe2020 Strategy;
Amendment 58 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Asks the Commission to include in the next evaluation reports provided for in article 318 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union an analysis of the efficiency, the effectiveness and the results achieved in terms of growth and jobs by the investment plan of EUR 315 Billion announced by the President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, on 26 November 2014 in the plenary session of the Parliament;
Amendment 60 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Regrets that a lack of reliability of the first-level checks performed by the Member States in shared management and weaknesses in excluding ineligible land from the Landfill Parcel Identification System (LPIS) still persist; points out that according to the Court's annual report for 2014 both the shared management areas and all other operational expenditure (which is mostly directly managed by the Commission) have an estimated error rate of 4,6%;
Amendment 67 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Notes with concern that if the corrective measures taken by the Member States and the Commission had not been applied to the payments audited by the Court, the overall estimated level of error would have been 5,5% rather than 4,4%; urges therefore the Commission, authorities in the Member States or independent auditors to use all information available to prevent, detect and correct possible errors;
Amendment 69 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Stresses that for the operational expenditure the estimated level of error for spending under shared management with the Member States amounts to 4,6 % (2013: 4,9%) andwhich remains at an very high level; is worried that for the other forms of operational spending where the Commission has a leading role, it is alsthe estimated level of error has rocketed up to 4,6% (2013: 3,7%);
Amendment 75 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Underscores the Court's observation that if the Commission, authorities in the Member States or independent audits had made use of all information available to them, they should have prevented, detected, or corrected a significant proportion of the errors before these were made; points out that using all information available might have reduced the level of error by 3,3 percentage points for both expenditure under regional and urban policy (6.1 %) and for rural development, environment, climate action and fisheries (6.2 %); stresses that using all information available might have reduced the level of error by 2,8 percentage points for competitiveness for growth and jobs, directly managed by the Commission;
Amendment 100 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62
Paragraph 62
62. NoteReminds that a large responsibility for correct allocation of the Union budget lies with the Member States, as 76% of expenditures are spent under shared management; therefore stresses that Member States have an important responsibility on implementing correctly and lawfully the Union budget when they are responsible for the management of the Union funds
Amendment 102 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. Underlines that the better the Member States strive to fulfil the national and quantified Europe 2020 Strategy targets, the more Union budgetary spending can be targeted, and the more those targets will reflect the real Union economic, social, territorial and environmental needs, the better the Union will ensure an environment for sound financial management; in this context, recommends the creation of a permanent platform composed of the Commission and, national governments´ representations, including the PERM-REPs, and regional governments;
Amendment 104 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
65. Shares the Court's finding that the Commission, national authorities and independent auditors must use all the relevant information available to prevent, or detect and correct errors before reimbursement; firmly states that when data are available there should be no reason for the Commission, the national authorities and the independent auditors not to take the appropriate measures to prevent, detect and correct errors;
Amendment 133 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83 a (new)
Paragraph 83 a (new)
83a. Is of the opinion that the MFF mid- term revision, to be presented by the Commission by the end of 2016, is the first and best opportunity to structurally tackle the high level of RAL; urges the Commission to come up with a proposal to revise the MFF regulation in order to fix, among other matters, the RAL;
Amendment 139 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 89 – point a
Paragraph 89 – point a
(a) the largest proportion is still contributed by Member States depending on their gross national income (GNI) which contradicts the letter and the spirit of the Treaty, in 2014 this contribution amounted to EUR 94,9 billion;
Amendment 149 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 103
Paragraph 103
103. NotWelcomes that the structure of the Court's annual report follows, for the first time, the headings of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) which entered into force on 1 January 2014; in 2013 the chapter was called "Research and other internal policies"; this policy change limits the comparability of the Court's findings with those of previous years;
Amendment 150 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 105
Paragraph 105
105. IReminds that the Heading 1a has been sharply reduced during the MFF negotiation (- 24 % compare to the initial Commission's proposal); is aware that the heading 1a. of the MFF includes spending in favour of improving research and innovation, enhancing education systems and promoting employment, ensuring a digital single market, promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, modernising the transport sector and improving the business environment, especially for SMEs;
Amendment 152 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109
Paragraph 109
109. Is pleased that the Commission was able to meet most targets of the key performance indicators (KPI); doubts however, that the target of investing, by 2020, 3% of the Union GDP in research and development can be met; calls on all Member States to rise to the challenge; calls upon the Commission to draw the necessary conclusion for the forthcoming mid-term revision of the MFF to be presented by the end of 2016;
Amendment 170 #
Amendment 171 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 a (new)
Paragraph 128 a (new)
128a. Reiterates its concern about the systematic delays in the ITER programme which questions its efficiency and effectiveness; is deeply worried by the over costs, which have impacted upon the cost-effectiveness of the programme and put other Union programmes in jeopardy, mainly in the research policy area; recalls with much regret the meeting organised in the Parliament on 11 November during which merely a future action plan was announced but not presented; is troubled by the Commission replies of 3 December 2015 pointing out that the ITER Council of November 2015decided that the "(...) assumptions underlying the proposed project's schedule cannot be considered to be fully realistic and that the associated IO costs appear excessive, in particular in relation to staffing requests. Further iterations are needed with the Domestic Agencies (in particular F4E) to ensure the reliability, stability and cost sustainability of the schedule proposal over the long term. (...)For this reason, the ITER Council decided at this last meeting to carry out a high level independent assessment on the result of the work presented by the ITER Organization, covering both technical and resource matters. This assessment should be available before the ITER Council of June 2016, (...)"; considers progress to be highly unsatisfactory;
Amendment 172 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 b (new)
Paragraph 128 b (new)
128b. Calls on the Directorate General for Research and Innovation to publish, in the respective annual activity reports, its contribution to the Commission's country specific recommendations in a comprehensive and detailed way as these recommendations could demonstrate how the directorate general facilitates Member States' progress towards the EU 2020 objectives;
Amendment 173 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 c (new)
Paragraph 128 c (new)
128c. Asks the Commission to transmit to the Parliament the action plan presented to the ITER Council in November;
Amendment 174 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 d (new)
Paragraph 128 d (new)
128d. Insists to receive from the Commission, by June 2016, an update on a long term project schedule and associated costs for ITER in preparation of budgetary decisions for the following year; recalls that for 2016 payment appropriation at a level of almost EUR 475 million have been set aside for ITER;
Amendment 178 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 133
Paragraph 133
133. NotWelcomes that the structure of the Court's Aannual report follows, for the first time, the headings of the MFF which entered into force on 1 January 2014; in 2013 the Court's annual report contained two distinct chapters: one on "Regional policy, transport and energy" and the other one on "Employment and social affairs"; considers that this policy change limits the comparability of the Court's findings with those of previous years;
Amendment 180 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 138
Paragraph 138
138. Notes that in the area of regional and urban policy, the four most important KPI include: number of jobs created, number of enterprises cooperating with supported research institutions, number of enterprises receiving report and additional capacity of renewable energy production; whereas global achievements reported in Member States' implementation reports progressed on average by 29% compared to the previous year, not all targets will be met due to the economic crisis, according to the Commission; calls upon the Commission to draw the necessary conclusion for the forthcoming mid-term revision of the MFF to be presented by the end of 2016;
Amendment 183 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 140
Paragraph 140
140. Notes that by the end of 2015, on average 89% of funds were used with some Member States(absorption rate) with Italy (79%), Romania (70%) and Croatia (59%) trailing behind;
Amendment 188 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 144
Paragraph 144
144. Shares the Commission's opinion that unemployment rates (especially long-term unemployment) and the percentage of young persons not in employment, education or training (NEETs), are indications of mismatch in the labour market. The five countries with the highest level of long-term unemployment (as share of active population) in the Union are Greece (19,5%), Spain (12,9%), Croatia (10,1%), Slovakia (9,3%) and Portugal (8,4%) against the Union average of 5,1%. The countries with the highest rate of NEETs are Cyprus (33,7%), Bulgaria (30,9%), Hungary (30,3%), Greece (30,0%) and Romania (26,9%) compared to an Union average of 16,37%;
Amendment 191 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 147 a (new)
Paragraph 147 a (new)
147a. Finds it frustrating that in 21 cases of quantifiable errors made by beneficiaries, national authorities had sufficient information to prevent or detect and correct the errors before declaring the expenditure to the Commission; had all this information been used to correct errors, the estimated level of error for this chapter would have been 1,6 percentage points lower; in addition, the Court found that for 13 cases, the error that it detected was made by national authorities; these errors contributed 1,7 percentage points to the estimated level of error; this situation, which remained unchanged for some years now, proves a lack of diligence;
Amendment 192 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 147 b (new)
Paragraph 147 b (new)
147b. Stresses that under the ESF the most common types of eligibility issues detected are the following: expenditure declared outside the eligibility period (CZ, DE), overcharged salaries (DE, FI, PL, PT), costs not related to the project (NL, PL, PT), non-compliance with national eligibility rules (PL) and revenue not deducted (AT); the most common examples of failures to comply with public procurement rules are the following: unjustified direct award (DE, IT), unjustified direct award of additional works/services, unlawful exclusion of bidders, conflict of interest and discriminatory selection criteria (FI);
Amendment 193 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 147 c (new)
Paragraph 147 c (new)
147c. Observes that the Court analysed 161 transactions in the regional and urban area (101 concerned ERDF, 55 concerned CF and 5 concerned financial instruments) and 170 transactions of the ESF; 135 of 331 transactions were affected by errors; the Court estimates the error rate to be 5,7% (ERDF and CF error rate estimated to be 6,1%, ESF error rate estimated to be 3,7%);
Amendment 200 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 152
Paragraph 152
152. Welcomes the fact that the Commission has set up, in November 2014, a tTask fForce for bBetter iImplementation for Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy (South), Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia in order to avoid de- commitment of funds;
Amendment 201 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 153
Paragraph 153
153. Recalls that the legal framework for ESIFsuropean Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) 2014-2020 has also introduced ex ante conditionalities for the effective and efficient use of Union funds, which cover inter alia Member States’' public procurement systems; and that in that context, actions plans have been adopted for 12 countries (Bulgaria, Czech republic, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia) and will be assessed by 2016; stresserecalls that fulfilling the ex-ante conditionalities is a precondition for funding; remarks the fundamental role of the ex-ante assessments is to guarantee the better use of resources and asks for the necessary full transparency on the financing of infrastructural projects;
Amendment 210 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 161
Paragraph 161
161. Regrets that Member States have not yet fully embraced the sSimplified cCost oOption (SCO) under the ESF; whereas the Commission expects the that under the programming period 2014-2020 on average 35% of cost will be claimed under the SCO, some Member States (Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden) will be significantly above, other Member States (Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia and Slovakia) will be significantly below;
Amendment 211 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 164 a (new)
Paragraph 164 a (new)
164a. Recalls that the implementation of 51 priority projects in Greece needed to be accelerated; furthermore, 14 projects - concerning, among other issues, the cadastre and the national registry - have been identified as "bottleneck" projects and run the risk of de-commitment; expects the Commission to update Parliament on the situation in the 2014 Commission discharge follow-up report;
Amendment 212 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 164 b (new)
Paragraph 164 b (new)
164b. Recalls that the Czech Audit Office report OPTP/2014/SM/01 on the procurement procedure for the monitoring system for 2014-2020, which was filed with the Commission in April 2015, refers to unwarranted expenditure of over EUR 9 million; welcomes that the Commission has issued a letter of warning of possible interruption of payments and called on the Czech authorities to apply the adequate financial corrections; wishes to know how the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) assessed the situation;
Amendment 213 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 164 c (new)
Paragraph 164 c (new)
164c. Is concerned by infringements of public procurement rules during the tendering procedure for IT monitoring systems during the financing periods 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 which also gave rise to suspicion of fraud; notes that these errors were discovered by the Czech audit authorities; fully supports the Commission's position that no payments should be made until the respective corrective measures were taken and the police investigation was completed;
Amendment 214 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 164 d (new)
Paragraph 164 d (new)
164d. Considers that a former employee of the Czech Ministry of Regional Development and current staff member of Commissioner Crețu's private office should not follow Czech regional policy affairs, as such an assignment constitutes a potential conflict of interest;
Amendment 240 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 191
Paragraph 191
191. Is of the opinion thatUrges the Commission musto continue to rigorously address the weaknesses of "first level checks" in Member States, one of the most important sources of error;
Amendment 270 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 230 a (new)
Paragraph 230 a (new)
230a. Deeply regrets that the Greek certifying body significantly underestimated the level of error reported for financial year 2014 in the framework of the "reinforcement of assurance procedure"1a and stresses that overall for the 6 Member States which had opted for the voluntary application of this procedure(Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Luxemburg, United Kingdom), the Court found that with the exception of Luxembourg the weaknesses in its implementation render the reported levels of error unreliable; __________________ 1a See 2014 ECA annual report point 7.44 to 7.50.
Amendment 271 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 230 b (new)
Paragraph 230 b (new)
230b. Regrets that the Court detected weaknesses in the control systems related to transactions in rural development of the five paying agencies it visited in 2014: Ireland, Italy(Campania) Portugal, Romania and Sweden and, in particular, in the checks related to eligibility conditions for environmental conditions, the maximum size of companies and to public procurement procedure;
Amendment 277 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 234 – point c a (new)
Paragraph 234 – point c a (new)
(c)a to report in details to Parliament on the implementation of the capping in CAP direct payments member state per member state;
Amendment 295 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 250
Paragraph 250
250. FWelcomes the fact that the Court issued a specific error rate as to the expenditure directly managed by the Commission (the multi-donor and budget support transactions being excluded) and regrets that the error rate for those specific transactions has been quantified at 3,7%; finds it frustrating that in seven cases of quantifiable errors, the Commission had sufficient information to prevent or detect and correct the errors before accepting the expenditure; notes that had all this information been used to correct errors, the estimated level of error for this chapter would have been 0,2 percentage points lower;
Amendment 307 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 270
Paragraph 270
270. Notes the strong attention of the public and the media foron integrity issues, implying and the need for strong ethics regulation in order to fulfil Articles 17 TEU and 245 TFEU; insists that well-functioning codes of conduct demand continuous attention; stresses that a code of conduct is only an effective preventative measure if properly applied and if compliance is systematically reviewed, not only in cases of incidents; points out that a review of the code of conduct is needed by the end of 2017;.
Amendment 310 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 271
Paragraph 271
271. Calls on the Commission to report on the current status of Member State's legislation concerning view the code of conduct for Commissioners by the end of 2017, including by defining what constitutes a "conflicts of interest" and to present recommendations, considering that the same principles should apply to candidate members and members of thes well as introducing criteria for assessing the compatibility of post-office employment and extending the cooling off period to three years for Commissioners;
Amendment 313 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 272
Paragraph 272
272. Points out that an important step with regard to conflicts of interest is to increase the transparency of the Commission President, the ad hoc ethical committee of the Commission whichand of the Secretariat General, when reviewsing situations of potential conflict; notes that only if the opinions of the ethical committee are published proactively, can the public hold the Commission accountable; reiterates the Parliament's recommendation that the ad hoc ethical committee be reformed to extend its powers and include independent experts;
Amendment 316 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 272 a (new)
Paragraph 272 a (new)
272a. Calls on the Commission to publish the declarations of interest in an open, machine-readable format.
Amendment 347 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 280 a (new)
Paragraph 280 a (new)
Amendment 350 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 281
Paragraph 281
281. Regrets the delay in the Commission'minds that since May 2015, the Commission has promised to deliver its assessment of tobaccohe agreements; calls on the Commission to provide this as soon as possible, outlining the results of the investments made using the money paid by tobacco companies under these agreements with PMI as soon as possible; stresses that the Commission postponed several times the publication of the assessment and that it was finally published on 23rd February 2016, one day before a Plenary debate on this issue in the Parliament; firmly believes that such delayed publication is considered by the Parliament to be a serious failure on the part of the Commission to meet its obligations of transparency, both to the Parliament and to citizens ; thus undermining the Parliament's capacity to express its view in a timely manner on this complex and delicate matter;
Amendment 353 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 283
Paragraph 283
283. Urges all the relevant Union institutions to implement Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC in accordance with the recommendations contained in the guidelines thereto; urges the Commission to publish immediately the assessment agreements with tobacco companies and an impact assessment on the implementation of the WHO FCTCrsue prompt ratification of the FCTC Protocol and welcomes its commitment to invite Member states and third countries to ratify it; believes however that renewal of the agreement would send a damaging and counterproductive message to third countries that the EU has inappropriate interactions with the tobacco industry, although the Protocol clearly prohibits such interactions;
Amendment 355 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 283 a (new)
Paragraph 283 a (new)
283a. Expresses the belief that renewal of the PMI Agreement may not be compatible with the EU's obligations under Article 5.3 of the FCTC, which could cause reputational damage to the EU as a global leader on tobacco control;
Amendment 357 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 283 b (new)
Paragraph 283 b (new)
283b. Emphasises that the PMI Agreement was an innovative instrument when first concluded in 2004 in tackling the illicit tobacco trade, but stresses that the market and regulatory environment have experienced substantial changes since that date; stresses that the agreement does not address important characteristics of the illicit tobacco trade today, particularly the high proportion of the trade now made up of "illicit whites"; is therefore of the opinion that all elements which are covered in the agreement with PMI will be covered in the new legal framework of the Tobacco Products Directive and the FCTC Protocol;
Amendment 358 #
2015/2154(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 283 c (new)
Paragraph 283 c (new)
283c. Reiterates therefore that the agreement with PMI should not be renewed, extended or renegotiated; and asks the Commission not to renew, extend or renegotiate the agreement beyond its current date of expiry;
Amendment 98 #
2015/2132(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67 b (new)
Paragraph 67 b (new)
67b. Stresses that Parliament and the Council must address the need for a roadmap to a single seat, as requested by a large majority in this Parliament in several resolutions, in order to create long term savings in the Union budget;
Amendment 83 #
2015/2128(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Welcomes the successful outcomes of numerous joint customs operations (JCOs) involving the cooperation of OLAF and Member States with various third-country services, which have resulted in the seizure of, inter alia, 1.2 million counterfeit goods, including perfumes, car spare parts, electronic devices and 130 million cigarettes; underlines the fact that the smuggling of heavily taxed goods causes significant losses of revenue to the budgets of the EU and the Member States, and that direct losses in customs revenue as a result of cigarette smuggling alone are estimated at more than EUR 10 billion a year;
Amendment 18 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Invites the EIB, when assessing and rating projects, to give decisive priority to the long-term effect of investments, regarding not simply financial indicators but, and above all, their contribution to sustainable empdeveloypment and to a better quality of life by further improvements in the field of employment, social standard and environment;
Amendment 20 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Regrets that there is no information presented in the 3PA Report, whether based on 3PA or other relevant tools, about actual results achieved from operations executed inside the EU in 2014 (in contrast to results achieved outside the EU), despite the fact that the 3PA is designed with the specific purpose of enhancing the EIB’s ability to monitor implementation by tracking impacts throughout the project cycle; expects that, as a result of the ongoing harmonisation between 3PA and ReM, a new harmonised framework, better fitted for the ex post assessment and reporting of project results both inside and outside the EU and fully in line with the Scoreboard for EFSI operations, will be in place at the beginning of 2016 and will be used for the 2015 EIB reporting exercise; calls for the individual projects assessments to be published on systematic basis;
Amendment 25 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes the EIF’s capital increase of EUR 1.5 billion in 2014, and its record investment in providing risk finance for SMEs amounting to EUR 3.3 billion, which leveraged EUR 14 billion of capital; calls for a comprehensive and transparent overview of the EIF’s operations to be included in the EIB Annual Report;
Amendment 28 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Takes note that EIB support for renewable energy capacity development in 2014 was concentrated for the most part in just a few countries, with only EUR 42 million out of EUR 4.5 billion for renewable energy projects in the EU-28 being spent in relatively new Member States; adds that a similar concentration is observed in the energy efficiency sector, where out of EUR 2 billion only EUR 148 million was allocated to relatively new Member States; calls for a binding share of future investments in renewable energy capacity developments and energy efficiency sector in new Member States, where those shares should increase progressively until they reach 30 % of the whole investments in these fields by 2020.
Amendment 29 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Takes note that EIB support for renewable energy capacity development in 2014 was concentrated for the most part in just a few countries (France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain), with only EUR 42 million out of EUR 4.5 billion for renewable energy projects in the EU-28 being spent in relativelythe 13 new Member States; adds that a similar concentration is observed in the energy efficiency sector, where out of EUR 2 billion only EUR 148 million was allocated to relatively new Member States13 new Member States; calls for an extra effort to be put in providing further technical assistance to national and regional authorities in order to improve their capacity to prepare viable projects that will allow for more investments in energy sector;
Amendment 32 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the launch in 2014 of new innovative instruments to support climate action, such as the Private Finance for Energy Efficiency instrument and the Natural Capital Financing Facility, and expects the EIB to present informationport about their implementation in its future activity reports;
Amendment 33 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Encourages the EIB’s commitment to support initiatives helping the EU both to stay a front-runner and to fulfil its own long-standing carbon market ambitions within the context of the Climate and Energy Policy Framework 2030, the Low Carbon Strategy 2050, and the UN climate talks for defining a new global agreement; calls for a review of the share of the EIB investments in Climate Action, as the 25 % share has already been reached.
Amendment 34 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes the momentum towards the development of the green bonds market and the leading role of the EIB with its own green bonds and climate awareness bonds, witnessing investor’s interest in financial products dedicated to sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient growth; Calls the EIB to review its emissions performance standard in 2016 in the light of the EU 2050 Low Carbon Strategy;
Amendment 35 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Welcomes the publication in September 2015 of the EIB Climate Strategy - Mobilising finance for the transition to a low-carbon and climate- resilient economy, and of the Synthesis Report on Operations Evaluation of EIB Financing of Climate Action (mitigation) within the EU 2010-2014; calls for the Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic and Timely (SMART) approach to be applied in the specific action plans following the EIB Climate Strategy by 2017.
Amendment 46 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Recommends closer cooperation between the EIB and national promotional banks, financial institutions and investment platforms, in order to pool and share expertise and know-how as well as to better align EIB actions with Member States’ policy priorities; recommends an even higher level of transparency of the EFSI operations by close co-operation and overview of the European Parliament and the European Court of Auditors;
Amendment 52 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Points out that the EIB is an important actor for promoting EU foreign policy priorities and objectives; recommends enhanced coordination and cooperation between the EIB and the external policy services and instruments of the EU; calls for a systematic ex-ante and ex-post assessments of economic, social and environmental impact of the EIB supported projects against EEAS goals and the general principles guiding Union external action as referred to in Article 21 TEU and the EU Strategic Framework and Action plan for Human Rights;
Amendment 53 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Underlines the importance accorded by the EIB to its policy of zero tolerance of fraud, corruption and collusion and its commitment to strong integrity and ethical rules; welcomes, in this regard, the EIB Group Annual Report on Anti-Fraud Activities – 2014; expects that the EIB stops further loan disbursements to projects under ongoing national or European corruption investigations;
Amendment 55 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Welcomes the adoption of a revised EIB Group Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism Framework (AML-CFT) in July 2014; recalls that the EIB must regularly examine andencourages the EIB to pursue dialogue with civil society on the improvement of its NCJ policy; calls on the EIB to establish a new responsible taxation policy, starting from the review of its policy related to Non-Conforming Jurisdictions (NCJ), in accordance with both the country ratings published by the OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes and the standards developed by the Financial Action Task Force; encourages the EIB to pursue dialogue with civil society on the improvement of its NCJ policyon non-cooperative jurisdictions (NCJ policy) in 2016; calls on the EIB to make both direct funding and funding via intermediaries contingent upon disclosure of both country – by – country tax- relevant data along the lines of the CRD IV provision for credit institutions, and beneficial ownership information;
Amendment 60 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Calls on the EIB to develop clear, strict and transparent criteria for public-private partnerships receiving funding, in order to insure that not only the investment part of the projects are fairly shared by both public and private partners but also are the risks involved in the investments so as to safeguard the public interest;
Amendment 62 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Recommends publication on the EIB website of documents which are not confidential, such as Corporative Operational Plans for previous years, interinstitutional agreements and memorandums, and other relevant agreements, as well as substantive informationa systematic disclosure onf the meetingfull minutes of the EIB managing bodies starting with January 2016;
Amendment 65 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Welcomes the process of reviewing the EIB Complaints Mechanism policy, launched in September 2015, and the public consultation opened for relevant stakeholders; expects that the ongoing revision of the Complaints Mechanism will improve its independence and contribute to greater effectiveness and efficiency of the Complaint Mechanism Office; calls on the EIB Management Committee to take on board the recommendations of that office and to act on the opinions of the European Ombudsman; calls for a steady flow of information between the EIB Complaints Mechanism Office and the EIB Board of Directors;
Amendment 68 #
2015/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Notes the expiry, on 27 October 2015, of the Tripartite Agreement mentioned in Article 287(3) TFEU, governing cooperation between the EIB, the Commission and the Court of Auditors with respect to the control methods exercised by the Court regarding the EIB’s activity in managing Union and Member State funds; calls on the three institutions to cooperate in the process of renewal and updating of this agreement, and to ensure that the renewed agreement covers the already existing and any new EIB instruments or initiatives involving public funds from the EU or the European Development Fund; calls for a much more thorough evaluation and reporting of the EIB instruments or initiatives done by the European Court of Auditors;
Amendment 42 #
2015/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges all the relevant EU institutions to implement Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in accordance with the recommendations contained in the guidelines thereto; urges the Commission to publish the assessment on the PMI agreement and agreements with other tobacco companies and an impact assessment on the implementation of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control;
Amendment 45 #
2015/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Is convinced that the PMI agreement should not be negotiated before a public and transparent debate is held following the publication of the assessment of the PMI agreement; calls on the Commission to explore existing alternatives;
Amendment 3 #
2015/2012(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. Whereas the report of the Court of Auditors adopted on 11 July 2014 states that the potential saving for the Union budget would be about EUR 114 million a year if the Parliament centralised its activities;
Amendment 37 #
2015/2012(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Stresses that in order to create substantial savings the need for a road map to a single seat of the Parliament must be addressed;
Amendment 92 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The European Council confirmed that a well-functioning, reformed EU ETS with an instrument to stabilise the market will be the main European instrument to achieve this target, withreformed EU ETS needs to set an annual reduction factor of 24.2% from 2021 onwards, free allocation not expiring but existing measures continuing after 2020 and revise measures to prevent the risk of carbon leakage due to climate policy, as long as no comparable efforts are undertaken in other major economies, without reducird countries or subnational regions, increasing the share of allowances to be auctioned. The auction share should be expressed as a minimum percentage figure in the legislation, to enhance planning certainty as regards investment decisions, to increase transparency and to render the overall system simpler and more easily understandable.
Amendment 211 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 9 – paragraphs 2 and 3
Article 9 – paragraphs 2 and 3
Starting in 2021, the linear factor shall be 24.2% beginning from the allocation for 2020 or annual verified emissions of 2020, whichever is the lower.
Amendment 293 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 4 – point d b (new)
Article 1 – point 4 – point d b (new)
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 4 a (new)
(db) the following paragraph is inserted: '4a. If the clearance price at any auction is lower than EUR 30 per allowance, the auction shall be cancelled. Any unauctioned allowances for year X shall be cancelled on 1 May of year X+1.'
Amendment 1 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
- having regard to the opening statement of Jean-Claude Juncker, at that time candidate for President of the European Commission, in his speech in the European Parliament Plenary Session, Strasbourg, 15 July 20141a; ________________ 1a"I will make sure that the procedural rules governing the various authorisations for GMOs are reviewed. I would not want the Commission to be able to take a decision when a majority of Member States has not encouraged it to do so."
Amendment 3 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Citation 4 b (new)
Citation 4 b (new)
- having regard to the Commission work programme, adopted on 16 December 20141a; __________________ 1a SeeAnnex I of the Commission work programme 2015 ("New initiatives"), point 23: Review of the GMO decision- making process: "The review will look at how the rules could be changed to better ensure the majority view of Member States is taken into account".
Amendment 4 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Citation 4 c (new)
Citation 4 c (new)
- having regard to the proposal for a Council decision concerning the placing on the market for cultivation, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of a maize product (Zea mays L., line 1507) genetically modified for resistance to certain lepidopteran pests3 , and the related votes in both regulatory committee (February 2009) and Council (February 2014), where no opinions were delivered;
Amendment 5 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Citation 4 d (new)
Citation 4 d (new)
Amendment 7 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to withdraw its proposal; and submit a new one, implementing the President of the Commission's promise to take the majority view of Member States into account when deciding about GMO authorisations;
Amendment 10 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that its new proposal provides for the European Parliament's voice being adequately taken into account when it comes to decisions about GMO authorisations;
Amendment 11 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls on the Commission not to propose to authorise any new GMO variety and not to renew old ones until the new proposal is agreed upon;
Amendment 12 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Calls on the Commission to take a long-term view in reviewing its policy on proteins, and to introduce adequate measures and instruments that support farmers in improving crop rotation systems and locally-grown fodder so as to substantially reduce the current dependence on feed imports;
Amendment 13 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 2 d (new)
Paragraph 2 d (new)
2d. Calls on the Commission to provide a balanced basis for democratic decision- making, in particular by improving risk assessment, as GMOs still pose many risks and uncertainties, and by ensuring the necessary resources for independent research on the potential risks involved in the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOs;
Amendment 14 #
2015/0093(COD)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 2 e (new)
Paragraph 2 e (new)
2e. Calls on the Commission to increase transparency and choice for consumers by ensuring that products stemming from animals that were fed with GM feed are adequately labelled;
Amendment 15 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1
Citation 1
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 114 and Article 291(3) thereof,
Amendment 17 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Both Directive 2001/18/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 establish a centralised procedure at Union level whereby the Commission is empowered to adopt implementing decisions granting or refusing application for the authorisation of GMOs and GM food and feed, based on an assessment of the potential risks that they could pose to human or animal health, or the environment. Both Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 also provides that other legitimate factors may be taken into account, where appropriatend Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council 1a require the Commission to take other legitimate factors into account, when submitting a draft decision. ______________ 1a Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1).
Amendment 19 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The use of genetic engineering in plants and in food and feed is a subject which divides opinion in the Member States and this is reflected in the decision-making process leading to the authorisation of GMOs for cultivation and GM food and feed. Since the date of application of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, tThe results of the voting in the committees or in Council show that there has never been a qualified majority either in favour of or against the authorisation of those products. ThereforeSo far, authorisations have been adopted by the Commission at the end of the procedure, in accordance with applicable legislation, without the support of the Member States' committee opinion. However, as the area is very sensitive for European citizens, the Commission needs a clear indication on how to act in such cases. Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 therefore needs to be changed accordingly.
Amendment 21 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
Amendment 24 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
Amendment 27 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
Amendment 29 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
Amendment 33 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
Amendment 36 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
Amendment 39 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
Amendment 41 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
Amendment 43 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
Amendment 44 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Regulation (ECU) No 1829/200311 should be amended accordingly,
Amendment 45 #
Amendment 46 #
2015/0093(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 a (new)
Article 1 a (new)
Amendment 36 #
2015/0009(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
Amendment 151 #
2015/0009(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. The Commission shall, by 30 June of each year, send to the European Parliament, the Council and the Court of Auditors an annual report on the situation of the guarantee fundEFSI and the management thereof in the previous calendar year.
Amendment 179 #
2015/0009(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
The governance of the use of the EU guarantee and the payments and recoveries under it that are attributable to the general budget of the Union shall be audited by the Court of Auditors. The external audit of the activities undertaken in accordance with the EFSI Regulation is carried out by the European Court of Auditors in accordance with Article 287 TFEU. The Court of Auditors shall issue a special report covering these matters 18 months after the entry into force of this regulation. The Tripartite Agreement between the EC, the EIB and the ECA shall be revised in order to reflect this requirement.
Amendment 187 #
2015/0009(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
1. The EIB shall notify OLAF promptly and provide it with the necessary information when, at any stage of the preparation, implementation or closure of operations subject to the EU guaranteeFSI, it has grounds to suspect that there is a potential case of fraud, corruption, embezzlement, money laundering or other illegal activity that may affect the financial interests of the Union.
Amendment 891 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Reiterates its commitment to initiating an ordinary treaty revision procedure under Article 48 TEU with a view to proposing the changes to Article 341 TEU and Protocol 6 necessary to allow Parliament to decide on the location of its seat and its internal organisation;
Amendment 901 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Reiterates its call for a single seat for the European Parliament; proposes that Parliament and the Council each decide the location of their own seat after having obtained the consent of the other; further proposes that the seats of all the other EU institutions, agencies and bodies be determined by Parliament and the Council on a proposal by the European executive, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure;
Amendment 26 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas Article 168 TFEU stipulates that a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities; whereas there are serious concerns that this will be rendered far more difficult in case of regulatory cooperation with the US, due to the significant divergencies and different approaches between the US and the EU;
Amendment 32 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
B b. whereas unlike more than 150 countries worldwide, the US have not ratified major international conventions on chemical substances (e.g. the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Rotterdam Convention on the trade of certain hazardous chemicals), which shows that the US is isolated in international chemicals policy; whereas moreover, the US refuses implementing the environmental part of the UN globally harmonised system for the classification and labelling of chemicals, which illustrates that when it comes to chemicals, there is disagreement between the US and the EU at the most basic level;
Amendment 33 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
B c. whereas according to the US report on Technical Barriers to Trade of 2014, the US has raised concerns regarding REACH at every WTO TBT Committee meeting since 2003, intervening "with concerns that aspects of REACH are discriminatory, lack a legitimate rationale, and pose unnecessary obstacles to trade", which indicates a rather fundamental opposition to REACH by the US;
Amendment 34 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
B d. whereas the fundamentally different nature of the US Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), adopted in 1976, as compared to REACH, adopted in 2006, is commonly accepted; whereas for that reason, the negotiations on the TTIP do not intend to harmonize the two systems; however, the negotiations concern future cooperation concerning the implementation of REACH; given the strongly diverging views on risk governance of chemicals and the fundamental and sustained opposition of the US to REACH, there are no benefits in cooperating on the implementation of these diverging laws, all the more since implementation is far from being a merely technical or uncontroversial exercise;
Amendment 35 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B e (new)
Recital B e (new)
Amendment 36 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B f (new)
Recital B f (new)
B f. whereas the draft EU negotiation text of the EU on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures tabled for the round of 29 September - 3 October suggests obliging Parties to apply tolerances and maximum residue levels by the Codex Alimentarius Commission within 12 months after their adoption, unless the importing Party had signalled a reservation in the Codex Alimentarius Commission; whereas there is a general pattern of lower amounts of pesticide residues allowed on food in the EU as compared to the Codex Alimentarius Commission; whereas over the last four years, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has filed a reservation in 31-57% of all cases, which highlights the large degree of disagreement by EFSA with the Codex standards; whereas EFSA currently feels free to express its reservations, within the limits possible; however, once the TTIP has been adopted, it is very questionable whether EFSA will be allowed politically to continue to do so, given that the draft text intends to commit the EU and the US to collaborate in the international standard setting bodies 'with a view to reaching mutually satisfactory outcomes', which could discourage EFSA from filing reservations to the Codex Alimentarius Commission in the future and thus lead to weaker standards in the EU;
Amendment 37 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B g (new)
Recital B g (new)
B g. whereas the US TBT report of 2014 refers to the concerns of the US chemical and crop protection industry with regard to the hazard-based cut-off criteria to be developed for endocrine disrupters, and stated that the US raised concerns with DG Environment's proposal bilaterally as well as in WTO TBT and SPS Committees; whereas the Commission decided to launch an impact assessment on the development of criteria for endocrine disrupters in July 2013; whereas this decision is the main reason for the Commission's failure to adopt criteria by the 4-year deadline of December 2013; while the US welcomed the Commission's decision, both Council and the European Parliament decided to support Sweden in its court action to challenge the Commission's failure, illustrating fundamentally different views as to the nature of regulatory provisions in EU law;
Amendment 38 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B h (new)
Recital B h (new)
B h. whereas the EU approach with regard to food safety is based on the precautionary principle, allowing for protective action in case of scientific uncertainty, and requires risk managers to take into account other legitimate factors when weighing policy alternatives; whereas the US approach requires robust scientific evidence of harmful effects before regulatory action is taken and does not acknowledge other legitimate factors;
Amendment 39 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B i (new)
Recital B i (new)
B i. whereas there are links between unhealthy foods and diet-related non- communicable diseases (NCDs); whereas according to the UN Special Rapporteur (on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health), global trade, increased foreign direct investment (FDI) in the food sector and the pervasive marketing of unhealthy foods have increased the consumption of unhealthy foods*; whereas the Special Rapporteur concluded his report with a set of recommendations, aimed at States and the food industry, to take concrete steps to reduce the production and consumption of unhealthy foods and increase the availability and affordability of healthier food alternatives; * http://www.unscn.org/files/Announcemen ts/Other_announcements/A-HRC-26- 31_en.pdf
Amendment 40 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B j (new)
Recital B j (new)
B j. whereas according to the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020*, the cumulative output loss due to the four major non-communicable diseases together with mental disorders is estimated to be US$ 47 trillion; whereas according to the WHO, this loss represents 75% of global GDP in 2010 (US$ 63 trillion); whereas according to the WHO, continuing 'business as usual' with regard to non-communicable diseases will result in loss of productivity and an escalation of health care costs in all countries; * http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/9 4384/1/9789241506236_eng.pdf?ua=1
Amendment 41 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B k (new)
Recital B k (new)
B k. whereas the Director General of the WHO stated at the 8thGlobal Conference on Health Promotion in June 2013 that 'efforts to prevent noncommunicable diseases go against the business interests of powerful economic operators' *; * http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2013/heal th_promotion_20130610/en/
Amendment 42 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B l (new)
Recital B l (new)
B l. whereas the TTIP, similar to the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, could constrain the ability of the EU and Member States to protect nutrition policy from the influence of vested interests, reduce the range of interventions available to actively discourage consumption of less healthy food (and to promote healthy food), including via public procurement policies, and limit the EU and Member States' capacity to implement these interventions;* * http://www.healthpolicyjrnl.com/article/S 0168-8510(14)00203-6/abstract
Amendment 43 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B m (new)
Recital B m (new)
B m. whereas the TTIP seeks to enhance transatlantic trade; whereas enhancing trade should not be an objective in its own right, but only a means to achieve the overarching objective of sustainable development; whereas it is therefore essential for the TTIP to internalise the external climate, health and environmental costs of aviation, shipping and road freight in order to ensure sustainability of global trade in goods; whereas in the absence of effective international action to internalise these costs, the EU should introduce and implement regional non-discriminatory measures to address such externalities;
Amendment 44 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B n (new)
Recital B n (new)
B n. whereas the EU and US legislators have taken a very different approach as regards the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs): while in the EU, GMOs need to pass a risk analysis process prior to authorisation, regulators in the US allow them on the market without a distinct regulatory regime;
Amendment 45 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B o (new)
Recital B o (new)
B o. whereas the EU and US legislators have taken a very different approach as regards pathogen reduction treatments for meat and poultry: while a number of different pathogen reduction treatments are allowed in the US, EU regulation requires all operators along the food chain to follow good farm to fork hygiene practices in order to ensure pathogenic microbes are not present in foods of animal origin, and does not allow decontamination treatments to substitute good hygiene practices;
Amendment 46 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B p (new)
Recital B p (new)
B p. whereas the US federal law on animal welfare is well below the level of EU regulation, including the lack of legislation on welfare standards for farmed animals before the point of slaughter; whereas unfortunately, animal welfare is not considered by the Commission to be a trade concern in the same way as food safety or animal health for the purposes of import requirements;
Amendment 47 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B q (new)
Recital B q (new)
B q. whereas the EU and the US have a very different regulatory approach, average emission starting point and ambition level as regards reducing the average greenhouse gas emissions of light duty vehicles; whereas this area should therefore not be subject to mutual recognition;
Amendment 48 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B r (new)
Recital B r (new)
B r. whereas the EU is in the process of defining specific rules on food from clones animals and their offspring, while the US have decided not to require pre-market approval or labelling for such products;
Amendment 55 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the US Trade Representative consistently denounces EU standards in these areas as non-tariff trade barriers "that impose significant costs, create unnecessary barriers, reduce efficiency" and states that "thus, in the negotiations, the United States seeks to reduce such barriers and prevent future ones, while ensuring our continued ability to regulate";
Amendment 60 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the EU and US legislators and regulators have taken a very different approach to tackling greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change; whereas countering the significant threats posed by climate change and maintaining the integrity of adopted climate policy should take priority over trade promotion;
Amendment 63 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the methodology for accounting of greenhouse gas emissions of fossil fuels towards the emission reduction obligation under the Fuel Quality Directive was revised and watered down during its adoption in comitology under pressure from Canada and the US in order to accommodate perceived trade barriers from accounting the lifecycle emissions of tar sand crudes and fuel products derived from such crude; whereas as a result, compliance towards the greenhouse gas reduction obligation based on the adopted methodology does not reflect any increases in carbon intensity of fossil fuel crudes per installation or in Europe as a whole, against the original aim of the policy; whereas this is a clear example of the EU lowering its standards in response to trade interests by third countries;
Amendment 74 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas on 7 January 2015, the European Ombudsman welcomed the progress made by the European Commission to make the TTIP negotiations more transparent, however, she also made numerous recommendations for further improvement, in particular with regard to public access to consolidated negotiation texts, greater proactive disclosure of TTIP documents and increased transparency as regards meetings that Commission officials hold on the TTIP with business organisations, lobby groups or NGOs;
Amendment 127 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Considers it to be of utmost importance to ensure that the TTIP does not only fully safeguard EU standards for the protection of health and the environment, including food safety and consumer information, all of which have been adopted in democratic processes, but also creates no obstacle, neither legally nor politically, for the implementation of existing laws or the adoption of new ones;
Amendment 134 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is very concerned that the objective of regulatory convergence, including in particular the creation of a Regulatory Cooperation Council, will lead to a far-ranging provisions for regulatory cooperation, including the creation of a Regulatory Cooperation Body, will de facto make it more difficult to implement existing EU standards, let alone develop and adopt new ones, thus leading overall to a lowering of future EU standards in key areas for the protection of human health, food safety and the environment in light of the significant differences as compared with the US;
Amendment 149 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Is particularly concerned that the draft provisions on regulatory cooperation on acts that have or are likely to have a significant impact on trade and investment between the EU and the US - grant the US formal rights with regards to implementing acts to be adopted pursuant to Article 291 TFEU, while the European Parliament has no right to scrutiny whatsoever with regard to implementing acts, - grant the US the right to enter into regulatory exchanges concerning the adoption of national legislation by Member States, including joint examination of possible means to promote regulatory compatibility, - could de facto make it more difficult for the EU to go beyond the lowest common denominator of international instruments due to the commitments to international regulatory cooperation and implementation of international instruments they have contributed to;
Amendment 154 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Considers that regulatory cooperation is only desirable in clearly specified sectoral areas where the US and the EU have similar levels of protection, and insists that it be clarified explicitly that any provisions on regulatory cooperation in the TTIP do not set a procedural requirement for the adoption of the Union acts concerned by it nor do they give rise to enforceable rights in that regard;
Amendment 156 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3 c. Considers that the implementation of international instruments as part of promoting international regulatory cooperation can always only present minimum harmonisation;
Amendment 212 #
Amendment 220 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – indent 3 a (new)
Paragraph 5 – indent 3 a (new)
- impair public access to data on clinical trials of medicines, in particular as laid down in Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 on clinical trials on medicinal products for human use, and as provided for in corresponding policies by the European Medicines Agency,
Amendment 226 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – indent 3 b (new)
Paragraph 5 – indent 3 b (new)
- limit directly or indirectly the competence of Member States with regard to pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products,
Amendment 239 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Considers that TTIP could be beneficial with regard to harmonized implementation of the UNECE 1958 Agreement concerning the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions and the 1998 Agreement on UN Global Technical Regulations;
Amendment 240 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls on the Commission to safeguard the future of European public healthcare services by their explicit exclusion from the scope of application of TTIP, in the same way that there is already a carve-out in TTIP for the audio-visual sector and reflecting the existing carve-out of healthcare services from the Services Directive *; * see recital 22 and Article 2(f) of Directive 2006/123/EC
Amendment 243 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Calls for the TTIP to implement the uniform introduction of an improved test cycle in both the EU and the US based on the Worldwide Harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedures developed by UNECE, and to ensure market surveillance, conformity of production certification and in-use compliance tests, and transparency of the results;
Amendment 244 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Expresses concern that the published draft EU textual proposal on SPS measures does not make it explicit that the long term goal of aligning regulatory standards with regard to animal welfare should be to raise standards to the highest level rather than lowering them; draws attention to the fact that enforcement mechanisms of animal welfare provisions appear to be lacking; can only accept to include animal welfare matters in the negotiations, provided that the Commission insists on explicit recognition of the need to harmonise standards to the highest level, and to include animal welfare production standards as a requirement for importing goods into the EU;
Amendment 246 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Calls for the TTIP to work through the UNECE process to introduce a global vehicle classification system for light and heavy duty vehicles;
Amendment 248 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5 d. Calls for the TTIP to end fuel tax exemptions for commercial aviation in line with the G20 commitments to phase out fossil fuel subsidies;
Amendment 280 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is deeply concerned about the lack of transparency in the negotiations, and urges the Commission toWelcomes the Commission's recent decision to make the TTIP negotiations more transparent, but regrets that its implementation is still rather patchy, as only very few and non-recent negotiation texts have been made publicly available, and insists that further steps need to be taken in line with the recommendations by the European Ombudsman, in particular by giveing all Members of the European Parliament as well as the public in general access to theupdated negotiation texts, in particular the consolidated ones.
Amendment 14 #
2014/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas cultural heritage and the historic environment reaches across several public policies beyond the cultural, such as those related to regional development, social cohesion, agriculture, maritime affairs, natural environment, tourism, education, the digital agenda, external relations, customs cooperation and research and innovation;
Amendment 31 #
2014/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites and the Granada Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe and the Valletta Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage clearly define internationally recognised standards for cultural heritage restoration and archaeological works clearly define internationally recognised standards for cultural heritage restoration;10 __________________ 10 Venice Charter adopted by ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites) in 1965; Granada Convention adopted by the Council of Europe in 1985.
Amendment 48 #
2014/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. In line with Article 4 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), to set out a policy framework for the historic environment – known as immovable heritage – in the near future containing a regulatory framework for monuments, archaeology and historic landscapes;
Amendment 5 #
2014/2078(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the Court of Auditors Report adopted on 11.07.2014 states that the potential saving for the EU Budget would be about 114 million euro a year if the European Parliament centralised its activities;
Amendment 48 #
2014/2078(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 c (new)
Paragraph 33 c (new)
33c. Stresses that the Parliament and the Council, in order to create long term savings in the Union budget, must address the need for a roadmap to a single seat, as stated by the Parliament in several previous resolutions;
Amendment 28 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the Commission is the ultimate responsible of the implementation of the Union budget while the Member States have to sincerely cooperate with the Commission to ensure that the appropriations are used in accordance with the principles of sound financial management; whereas Member states, especially under shared management of funds, have a special responsibility on implementing the Union budget;
Amendment 30 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas it is crucial that, under shared management of funds, the data communicated by the Member States are fair and accurate; whereas it is crucial that Member states understand their own responsibility on the management of the EU funds under shared management;
Amendment 64 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Issues a reservation concerning the way Member States GNI contributions have been calculated due to the deficiencies81 as regards the Commission’s verification of data; __________________ 81 See Court of Auditors' Special Report No 11/2013, point 93 to 97. 81a ; Reminds that the Court concludes that the Commission's verification of GNI data was not sufficiently structured and focused. __________________ 81 See Court of Auditors' Special Report No 11/2013, point 93 to 97. 81aSee the Court of Auditors' special reports in the context of the 2013 Commission discharge PART I (2014/2140(DEC))
Amendment 68 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that the most likely error rate for payments in the 2012 financial year was estimated at 4,8 %, in the 2011 financial year 2011 at 3,9 %, in the 2010 financial year at 3,7 %, in the 2009 financial year at 3,3 %, in the 2008 financial year at 5,2 % and in the 20097 financial year at 3,6,9 % making an average level around 4,6% over the period covered by the previous Multiannual Financial Framework 2007- 2013 %; notes that the Court of Auditors' annual reports therefore show a steady upwardabilization of the error rate in 2013 at the level of the average of the MFF 2007- 2013 which nevertheless state a steady upward and negative trend since 2009;
Amendment 71 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Points out that according to the Court of Auditors annual report for 2013 the shared management areas have an estimated error rate of 5.2 %; notes that in all other operational expenditure (which is mostly directly managed by the Commission) has an estimated error rate of 3.7 %; underlines that both error rates are above to the materiality threshold of 2%; stresses that the shared management areas have an error rate substantially higher than the one for all other operational expenditure;
Amendment 90 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Reminds that the Commission and the Member States have the duty to take corrective measures to protect the EU budget in cases of ineffective control systems or irregular expenditures; points out that the Commission and the Member States use such corrective measures and notes that if such corrective measures had not been applied to the 2013 payments audited by the ECA, the overall estimated error rate would have been 6.3 %, rather than 4.7 %; stresses that the ECA found that a proportion of transactions affected by error, especially in the shared management areas, authorities had sufficient information available to have detected and corrected the errors; therefore demands that the Court of Auditors estimate, in its future annual reports, the level of error in case all corrective measures would have been taken;
Amendment 107 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Is concerned by the fact that despite the high level of payments, the accounts show that outstanding financial commitments (in Heading 1b, mainly regional policy, the level of outstanding commitments at the end of 2013 is estimated at EUR 23,4 billion after EUR 5 billion at the end of 2010, EUR 11 billion at the end of 2011 and EUR 16 billion at the end of 2012) and other liabilities continued to grow in 2013:; notes that at the year end, they stood at EUR 32288 billion and the figure is likely to rise in 2014; __________________ 88 Of the EUR 322 billion, EUR 222 billion represents outstanding budgetary commitments and EUR 99 billion relate to balance sheet liabilities not covered by outstanding commitments.
Amendment 110 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Points out that in times of economic crisis financial resources are scarce; notes, however, that for large parts of the budget, the maximum level of expenditure under the Multiannual Financial Framework headings is broken into yearly allocations per Member State; observes that the way funds are absorbed by Member States often becomes the main policy objective (‘use it or lose it’)90 ; calls therefore on the Commission and Member States to promote a shift from spending to performance culture focussing on the results achieved based on efficiency and effectiveness principles; __________________ 90 Ibid. Ibid.
Amendment 114 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Urges the Commission to once again prepare and publish a 'long-range cash flow forecast' projecting future payment requirements to ensure that necessary payments can be met from approved annual budgets; demands that the Commission present, if necessary, modifications to existing regulations in case the annual budgets cannot provide sufficient appropriations to match the necessary payments level.
Amendment 129 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Emphasises that in accordance with Article 317 TFEU, the Commission is ultimately responsible for the implementation of the Union's budget; points out that where the Commission implements the budget under shared management, implementation tasks are delegated to Member States pursuant to Article 59 of the Financial Regulation thereby engaging their political and financial responsibility; underlines therefore that the Member states shall strictly act in accordance with the sound financial management and should not undermine their own responsibility in managing the EU funds;
Amendment 166 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 a (new)
Paragraph 46 a (new)
46a. Regrets that the Council, despite the fact that the Commission proposed a global reform of the own resources system which was welcomed by the European Parliament 1a aiming at making the system of own resources fairer, more understandable, more transparent, more efficient and aiming at reducing the national contributions, has not been able to make any progress so far on the reform of the own resources system on the basis of those legislative proposals. __________________ 1a Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0078
Amendment 181 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 a (new)
Paragraph 50 a (new)
50a. Reminds that in order to make the CAP fairer, the European Parliament and the Council 1a introduced a reduction of payments above EUR 150 000 and a possible capping of direct payments; demand therefore that the ECA audit the efficiency and effectiveness of this measure on its next annual reports. __________________ 1a REGULATION (EU) No 1307/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 17 December 2013
Amendment 185 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
53. Stresses that in 33 out of 101 quantifiable errors identified by the Court of Auditors, national authorities had sufficient information to prevent, detect, and correct those errors at least partially and that if all this information had been used properly the most likely error for this area would have been 1,1 % lower and thus relatively close to the materiality threshold of 2%; Stresses that member states have an important responsibility on implementing correctly and lawfully the Union budget when they are responsible for the management of the EU funds;
Amendment 221 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Concurs with the view expressed by the Court of Auditors that the most likely error rate would have been reduced to 2 % if the national authorities had used all the information available to them to prevent, detect and correct errors; Stresses that member states have an important responsibility on implementing correctly and lawfully the Union budget when they are responsible for the management of the EU funds;
Amendment 238 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 91 a (new)
Paragraph 91 a (new)
91a. Asks to the Commission to report in details to Parliament on the implementation of the capping in CAP direct payments member state per Member State;
Amendment 239 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 92
Paragraph 92
92. Asks the Court of Auditors to examine the rural development policy area in one separate chapter of its annual report or at least, to calculate separate error rates for the rural development policy area, the fisheries policy area and LIFE + programme;
Amendment 250 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 100
Paragraph 100
100. Emphasises that in 17 cases of quantifiable errors made by final beneficiaries, the national authorities had sufficient information to prevent, detect and correct the errors before declaring the expenditure to the Commission; notes that had all this information been used to correct errors, the most likely error estimated for this chapter would have been three percentage points lower; Stresses that member states have an important responsibility on implementing correctly and lawfully the Union budget when they are responsible for the management of the EU funds;
Amendment 297 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 120 a (new)
Paragraph 120 a (new)
120a. calls on the Court of Auditors to provide to Parliament a detailed report on the evolution of the error rate (year per year, sectorial policy per sectorial policy and member state per member state) during the whole period of the previous Multiannual Financial Framework (2007-2013);
Amendment 306 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 127
Paragraph 127
127. Calls on the Commission to inform Parliament about all cases in which projects with an Union share of at least 310 % were afterwards privatised during the last 5 years;
Amendment 320 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 132
Paragraph 132
132. Observes that, of the 182 transactions audited by the Court of Auditors 50 (27 %) were affected by error; notes that on the basis of the 30 errors which it has quantified, the Court estimates the most likely error rate to be 3,1 % (3,2% in 2012); notes that in 13 cases of quantifiable errors made by final beneficiaries, the national authorities had sufficient information to prevent, detect and correct the errors before declaring the expenditure to the Commission; considers that if all this information had been used to correct errors, the most likely error rate estimated for this chapter would have been 1,3 percentage points lower; Stresses that member states have an important responsibility on implementing correctly and lawfully the Union budget when they are responsible for the management of the EU funds;
Amendment 325 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 134
Paragraph 134
134. Regrets that faulty first-level-checks by national management and control systems remained a prime source of error; has therefore the impressionis deeply concerned by the fact that Member States seem to be less scrupulous when spending Union funds compared to the way they spend their national budget while they have an important responsibility on implementing correctly and lawfully the Union budget when they are responsible for the management of the EU funds; notes that the following programmes showed particular systemic weaknesses: Poland, Spain (Castilla y Leon), Romania, Portugal, Italy (Sicily), Germany (Bund), Germany (Thüringen), Czech Republic and Hungary; notes that in addition, thematic Commission audits revealed weaknesses in the management and control systems of the operational programmes for Ireland (Human Investment Capital), Slovakia (education) and Spain (Comunidad Valenciana);
Amendment 353 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 146 a (new)
Paragraph 146 a (new)
146a. Calls on the Commission to put pressure on the Member states and urge them to actively and concretely fight against unemployment, in particular youth unemployment;
Amendment 370 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 159 a (new)
Paragraph 159 a (new)
159a. Takes note that a leaked version of the final report of OLAF on IMG has been circulated; asks to the Commission and OLAF's supervisory committee to investigate why and how the OLAF report was leaked and by whom, while IMG is still not informed about the content of the report;
Amendment 371 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 159 b (new)
Paragraph 159 b (new)
159b. Reminds that upon an earlier request OLAF declared itself not competent to investigate on the legality of the status of an international organisation; Is therefore surprised about the conclusion of the leaked OLAF report, namely that there were no cases of fraud or corruption but that there are doubts about the international status of IMG and this 24 years after it establishment as an international organisation, points out that this finding is in complete contradiction to the opinions of the legal service of the Commission which considers the IMG as a legal international organisation; reminds that this position has been regularly confirmed by several Commissioners;
Amendment 372 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 159 c (new)
Paragraph 159 c (new)
159c. Stresses that OLAF has put undue pressure on Commission to discontinue its financial support to IMG for new contracts, pending the investigation while being well aware of the fact that this would lead to substantial difficulties for IMG , to maintain the high level of expertise required to carry out its tasks;
Amendment 373 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 159 d (new)
Paragraph 159 d (new)
159d. Is of the same opinion as last year discharge 100 f ; states as its position that IMG is an international organisation which falls completely under the definition laid down in Article 43 of the Implementing Rules of the Financial Regulation; stresses that the organisation has been existing since 1994; urges the Commission to restart authorizing the IMG to compete fairly on future calls for proposals and grants;
Amendment 375 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 160
Paragraph 160
160. Is deeply concerned by the fact that the Commission continues to treated International Management Group (IMG) as an international organisation while an OLAF investigation was open in 2011 in this regard and while Parliament has alerted the Commission about this issue; notes that this organisation received more than EUR 130 million from the Commission since its creation under joint management, direct or indirect management mode; asks the Director General of OLAF to inform Parliament about the follow-up given to the OLAF enquiry opened in 2011 as regards the status of international organisation of IMG; urges the Commission to provide Parliament with aUrges the Commission to provide Parliament with an exhaustive list enumerating all the organisations, companies, other bodies or persons having received contracts from the Commission without a call for proposals and detailing their legal status;
Amendment 391 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 166
Paragraph 166
166. Is surprised by the fact that OLAFTakes note that a leaked version of the final report of OLAF (OF 2003/0526) has not recommended that the Commission establish a recovery order on the basis of the financial damage caused to the Union budget with regard the humanitarian support granted to the refugee camp of Tindouf whilst it has estimated in its report (OF 2003/0526) that the number of refugees was considerably lower than indicated by the Sahrawi or Algerian authorities; calls for clarification by the Commission on the measures taken in response to the findings of this report;
Amendment 399 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 167
Paragraph 167
167. Urges the Commission to adapt Union aid to the actual needs of the population concerned in order to put an end to all kinds of trafficking and to the embezzlement of humanitarian assistance;
Amendment 404 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 169
Paragraph 169
169. Congratulates the Commission on the implementation the Seventh Framework Programme (7FP)Stresses that the Seventh Framework Programme (7FP) was the main programme financed by the Commission: notes that 809 grant agreements, involving 10 345 participants for a total of EUR 3 439 million in Union contributions were signed; notes that the 7FP contributes to the Union's efforts to invest in a sustainable competitiveness but points that the EU as a whole is still far from its objective of having at least 3% of GDP spent on R&D; notes that some progress was made in meeting key performance indicators (gross expenditure on Research and Development (R&D), share of public expenditure on R&D, progress in the implementation of the Innovation Union, share of Union financial contributions to small and medium-sized enterprises, reduction of Time-to-Grant);
Amendment 408 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 170
Paragraph 170
Amendment 411 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 171 a (new)
Paragraph 171 a (new)
171a. Observes that the spending in this policy group covered a wide range of policy objectives, such as research and innovation, education, security, migration and measures to combat the effects of the financial crisis; notes that the Commission spent more than 50 % (EUR 5 771 million) of the available amount on research; notes that 45 % of the Commission's research budget was implemented by bodies (i.e. agencies, joint undertakings) outside the Directorate General; notes that almost 90 % of the spending took the form of grants to beneficiaries participating in projects and that in 2013 the Commission concluded 809 grant agreements;
Amendment 421 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 180
Paragraph 180
180. Notes that project stakeholders (ITER organisation and the domestic agencies – including Fusion for Europe) have recognised that the current schedule and budget is not realistic, as confirmed by several independent assessments in the last two years (2013-2014); wishes to receive a copy of the revised schedule and budget which will be submitted to the ITER Council in June 2015; is concerned by the regular delays in ITER programme which questions its efficiency and effectiveness; is deeply concerned by the overcosts which increased the cost-effectiveness of the programme and put into danger other European programmes, mainly in the research policy area; believes that the ITER should be stopped in order to avoid further delays and overcosts; stresses that the funds could be redeployed for other programmes, in the research policy sector for instance, or returned to European taxpayers;
Amendment 451 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 202
Paragraph 202
202. Demands that the Commission includes in the next evaluation reports provided for in Article 318 TFEU an analysis of the efficiency, the effectiveness and the results achieved in terms of growth and jobs by the investment plan of EUR 315 billion announced by the President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker on 26 November 2014 in the plenary session of Parliament;
Amendment 452 #
2014/2075(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 203
Paragraph 203
203. Demands that in the next evaluation report provided for in Article 318 TFEU the Commission includes an analysis made in cooperation with the European Investment Bank of the efficiency, the effectiveness and the results achieved by the Growth and Jobs plan of EUR 120 billion adopted by the European Council in its meeting of 28 and 29 June 2012;
Amendment 15 #
2014/0180(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) Article 11 TFEU stipulates that environmental protection requirements be integrated into the definition and implementations of the Union's policies and activities, in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development. It is therefore important to clarify how the contracting authorities can contribute to the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development, whilst ensuring that they can obtain the best value for money for their contracts.
Amendment 21 #
2014/0180(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012
Article 102 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 102 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. In accordance with the principle of sustainability, procurement is conducted in such a way as to have continuous and measurable progress in environmental performance, which is to be achieved by reducing environmental impacts whilst ensuring that they can obtain the best value for money for their contracts
Amendment 60 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
(iii) species other than those referred to in points (i) and (ii) for which delegated acts have been adopted pursuant to Articles 35(1) or 45(1);
Amendment 66 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point i – point iii
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point i – point iii
Amendment 70 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point y a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point y a (new)
(ya) ‘cloned animal’ means an animal produced by means of a method of asexual, artificial reproduction with the aim of producing a genetically identical or nearly identical copy of an individual animal;
Amendment 71 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point y b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point y b (new)
(yb) ‘descendant of a cloned animal’ means an animal produced by means of sexual reproduction, in cases in which at least one of the progenitors is a cloned animal.
Amendment 92 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 28 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) ethical concerns.
Amendment 101 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 33 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 33 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. In any case, the zootechnical certificates shall mention if the breeding animal is a cloned animal or a descendant of a cloned animal, or if the germinal product comes from a cloned animal or from a descendant of a cloned animal.
Amendment 104 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 35
Article 35
Amendment 110 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 40 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 40 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. In any case, the zootechnical certificates shall mention if the breeding animal is a cloned animal or a descendant of a cloned animal, or if the germinal product comes from a cloned animal or from a descendant of a cloned animal.
Amendment 113 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 45
Article 45
Amendment 135 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 2 – chapter I – point 1 – point h a (new)
Annex V – part 2 – chapter I – point 1 – point h a (new)
(ha) where applicable, the fact that the animal is a cloned animal;
Amendment 136 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 2 – chapter I – point 1 – point h b (new)
Annex V – part 2 – chapter I – point 1 – point h b (new)
(hb) where applicable, the fact that the animal is a descendant of a cloned animal;
Amendment 139 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 3 – chapter I – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
Annex V – part 3 – chapter I – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
(ha) where applicable, the fact that the animal is a cloned animal;
Amendment 140 #
2014/0032(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 3 – chapter I – paragraph 1 – point h b (new)
Annex V – part 3 – chapter I – paragraph 1 – point h b (new)
(hb) where applicable, the fact that the animal is a descendant of a cloned animal,
Amendment 2 #
2013/2260(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
Amendment 3 #
2013/2260(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Invites the Commission to integrate wastewater management in all future projects that promote effective and responsible water use, treatment and disposal, and encourage the protection and preservation of sub-Saharan Africa watersheds
Amendment 4 #
2013/2260(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 2 #
2013/2247(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. GPostpones its decision on grantsing the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking's budget for the financial year 2012;
Amendment 3 #
2013/2220(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2012 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2012;
Amendment 14 #
2013/2220(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Believes that the procedure for assessing possible conflicts of interest at the Authority, where declarations of interests are screened by Heads of Unit and are generally assessed on a case by case basis, is burdensome and is subject to criticism, raising questions about its credibility and effectiveness; notes with concern that even a revised procedure has not helped dispel fears about the Authority’s expert impartiality; calls on the Authority to come up with a simplified procedure with less uncertainty which would validate and streamline the process and save both human resources and money before October 2014;
Amendment 16 #
2013/2220(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Believes that the Authority should apply a five-year cooling-off period to all material interests related to the commercial agrifood sector, including research funding, consultancy contracts and decision-making positions in industry-captured organisations;
Amendment 17 #
2013/2220(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Believes that financial interests in particular should be dealt with the utmost care and that experts should be asked to declare whether their interests were remunerated or not; believes that if this is the case, the amount should be specified; is of the opinion that the current practice of experts anonymising their interests, for instance by using the expression “private company”, should not be accepted by the Authority;
Amendment 4 #
2013/2215(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2012 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2012;
Amendment 11 #
2013/2215(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Regrets that the Agency has not yet validated its accounting system in the area of intangible fixed assets, which, given the considerable investment in the development of information and communications technology (ICT), is a crucial part of the whole accounting system; calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority on progress in this regard within the framework of the 2012 discharge follow-upbefore October 2014;
Amendment 24 #
2013/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Considers that the Commission should strengthen its use of conditionality and policy dialogue by setting clear, relevant, realistic and time-bound conditions by periodically assessing compliance with the agreed conditions and by responding firmly, proportionately and in a timely mannertheir structured political and policy dialogue with the DRC; notes that this will involve, in full respect of the provisions of the Cotonou Agreement (in particular Article 96 thereof), (i) setting clear, relevant, realistic and time-bound targets which are mutually agreed upon with the national authorities, (ii) periodically assessing compliance with the agreed targets as part of the regular political dialogue with the government, and (iii) considering, after careful deliberation, the adaptation or, in exceptional cases, the suspension or termination of the programme if the DRC government shows insufficient commitment to compliance by suspending or terminating the programme, where appropriate;
Amendment 13 #
2013/2200(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Considers that Mr Neves Mates is not in a position to fruitfully cooperate with Parliament as he has not honoured his promise made to Parliament not to accept his appointment as a member of the Court of Auditors in case Parliament gave him a negative verdict; notes that this, moreover, risks harming the working relationship of the Court of Auditors with Parliament and possibly has serious negative consequences for the credibility and hence effectiveness of the Court of Auditors; urges Mr Neves Mates to therefore resign;
Amendment 15 #
2013/2200(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Is of the firm opinion that the three- year- mandate of the President of the Court of Auditors should only be renewable once;
Amendment 16 #
2013/2200(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Is of the firm opinion that the three- year-mandate of the President of the Court of Auditors should only be renewable once;
Amendment 11 #
2013/2197(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Considers that the Council acted disdainfully towards Parliament by appointing a Member of the Court of Auditors, despite the fact that Parliament gave a negative opinion; urges the Council to pay attention to the opinions expressed by Parliament on the nomination of members of the Court of Auditors and to the declarations of prospective members of the Court of Auditors before they are nominated;
Amendment 4 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that authorised appropriations in Parliament's final budget for 2012 totalled EUR 1 717 868 121, representing a 1,9 % increase over the 2011 budget (EUR 1 685 829 393), and that, as in 2011, no amending budget was introduced; is of the opinion that Parliament showed its budgetary responsibility and self-restraint by staying under the 2,6 % inflation rate in 2012; expects that for the 2015 budget the same self-restraint will prevail by keeping the budget under the 20% of Chapter 5;
Amendment 5 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that in 2012, 99 % (93 % in 2011) of the final current appropriations were committed, with a cancellation rate of 1 % (6 % in 2011) and that, as in previous years, a high level of budget implementation was achieved, though this was positively influenced by an end of the year transfer of unspent funds at the request of the Joint Working Group of the Bureau and Committee on Budgets and a positive opinion by the Committee on Budgets;
Amendment 6 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that Parliament decided to conduct an end-of-year ‘mopping-up’ transfer from various budget lines amounting to EUR 45 000 000 in unspent funds intended for the second instalment of the acquisition of the Trebel building in Brussels (EUR 35 000 000) and the construction of the new KAD building in Luxembourg; understands that as a result of this, an estimated EUR 10,4 million in financing charges will be saved over the construction and loan amortisation periods; notes, nevertheless, that Parliament has repeatedly requested that in the interests of budgetary clarity, buildings expenditure be entered in the budget rather than being financed through a ‘mopping- up’ transfer as requested in several previous discharge resolutions;
Amendment 9 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Points out the unacceptably high level of carry-overs into 2012 (EUR 244 600 38423 ) and calls for the improved planning of expenditure; __________________ 23 Automatic carry-overs: EUR 222 900 384, non-automatic carry-overs: EUR 21 700 000.
Amendment 11 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes with satisfaction that the Court of Auditors’ audit of 15 recruitment procedures in Parliament in 2012 did not reveal errors or weaknesses; calls however on the Secretary-General to strictly apply the rules applicable to the nomination or promotion of staff in general, and in particular those in management positions;
Amendment 13 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recalls the Court of Auditors' finding that in file procedures for the recruitment of accredited parliamentary assistants(APAs), there were no documents on file proving that the ex ante checks of recruitment documents had been performed; welcomestakes note of the fact that the Court of Auditors considers that Parliament has fully implemented its recommendation to ensure that appropriate documentation is now established and the underlying documentation for those verifications is now being kept to justify the recruitment decisions of temporary and contract staff, calls on the Secretary-General to inform its Committee on Budgetary Control by September 2014 on the effectiveness of the measures taken including those based on the findings of the Internal Auditor, also in view of the recruitment of many new parliamentary assistants (APAs) after the elections;
Amendment 23 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes that at the end of 2012, after successive follow-up audits, only 15 actions still remained incomplete out of the 452 internal control framework actions initially agreed; welcomestakes note of the conclusion of the Internal auditor that for two DGs (Finance and Infrastructure and Logistics), there was evidence of improvement in their public procurement processes;
Amendment 33 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Recalls that the Code of Conduct for Parliament's Members with respect to financial interests and conflicts of interest, adopted by the plenary on 1 December 2011, requires Members to make full disclosure of any remunerated activities outside Parliament, of the remuneration they receive and of any other function they perform which may give rise to conflicts of interest and that the code expressly prohibits Members from accepting any sum of money or other gift in exchange for influencing Parliament decisions; notes that it lays down clear rules on accepting gifts and on former Members engaging in lobbying; asks that the administration scrutinises at least 15 % of these declarations on a regular and annual basis;
Amendment 52 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Reaffirms, yet again, that this resolution remains principally focussed on the budget implementation and discharge for the financial year 2012 and that its main goal is to ensure that taxpayers' public money is used in the best possible way while highlighting where more efficient gains may be achievable; calls on Parliament's responsible bodies to continue improving, at all possible levels, efficiency in Parliament's daily work aiming always to deliver an enhanced service to the citizens of the Union, expects that the Secretary- General in his next annual report to the Committee on Budgetary Control will focus more on efficiency and effectiveness of expenditure;
Amendment 53 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Is of the opinion that during the 2009- 2014 legislative term, in a difficult economic and financial context, often random and temporary, although significant, savings were achieved; believes that Parliament’s administration should identify additional efficiency measures that carry systematic and definitive structural savings that, firstly reducing Parliament's budget and secondly allowing for the redeployment of resources to Parliament’'s new areas of intervention, notably to reinforce the scrutiny dimension over the Commission’s implementation of the Union’s policies;
Amendment 56 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Welcomes DG PRES reorganizsation that leads to the creation of a new DG EPRS (Parliamentary Research Services) and the internalisation of Parliament's security services leading to the creation of DG Security; is satisfied that the reorganisation was budget neutral and that the internalisation of the security is foreseen to produce savings of more than EUR 11 million over the period 2013- 2016; would like to be informed by the Secretary-General on an annual basis on the exact amount saved, which might be a good example leading to the internalisation of other services now provided by third parties;
Amendment 67 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53 a (new)
Paragraph 53 a (new)
53a. Considers the large financial risk for Parliament's budget by guaranteeing the funds pension payments while investment decisions are taken by third parties; is therefore of the opinion that the fund should be fully controlled by Parliament's administration under strict guidelines from the Secretary-General;
Amendment 91 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. Is deeply worried that personal and confidential individual mail-boxes of selected Members, parliamentary assistants and officials have been compromised after the Parliament has been subject to a man- in-the-middle attack where a hacker has captured the communication between private smartphones and the public Wi-Fi of the Parliament; insists that Parliament's IT an indefpence policy should be reinforced against any possible type of cyber-attacks; points out that user devices and access to Parliament’s systems from the internet have to be better protected in order to avoid similar situations in the futuredent third party ICT security audit carried out on all parliamentary ICT and telecommunications systems in accordance with the specifications laid down in Annex I with a view to completing a clear roadmap towards a more robust ICT security policy in 2015;
Amendment 92 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
65. Considers that guest users should have access to a Wi-Fi network that cannot grant access to the intranet or internal IT services of the Parliament such as the webmail, thus separating the functionalities of the private Wi-Fi network and the guest Wi-Fi network; is of the opinion that an independent security audit should be carried out on the whole of Parliament’s IT and telecommunication infrastructure that reassures that Parliament operates within the highest available security standards against hacking and telephone tapping activities;
Amendment 93 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65 a (new)
Paragraph 65 a (new)
65a. Considers that the important advancements pointed out in paragraph 21 of this document must be supported by adequate investments in support and maintenance activities for these projects, as well as the appropriate cooperation with members and staff; points out in particular the successful launch of the AT4AM system; regrets the discontinuation of the European Parliament Linux distribution configuration, which was never marketed or targeted towards members and staff who would have had an interest in such a project; notes that the introduction of new working tools for Members and staff assumes that pilot-phase testing of such working tools is done only in cooperation with such members and staff that are willing to endure the additional work that pilot-phase testing entails;
Amendment 94 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65 b (new)
Paragraph 65 b (new)
65b. Is concerned with the findings of the DG ITEC ICT architecture report, which indicates that Parliament is currently using taxpayers' money to fund firewall vendors implicated in grave human rights violations in third countries by respected journalism freedom groups; remarks that open source solutions for firewalls are readily available and should be explored; insists that it is of utmost concern that Parliament and its administration are not seen to contribute to hardships and oppression through its ICT procurement;
Amendment 95 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65 c (new)
Paragraph 65 c (new)
65c. Insists in the same spirit that Parliament cooperation collaborates further with DG DIGIT to identify not only new, disruptive ICT tools from non- incumbent vendors, but also suitable replacements for old ICT tools and infrastructures that go in the direction of open, interoperable and non-vendor dependent solutions with a view to social, ethical and economical responsibility;
Amendment 99 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 c (new)
Paragraph 66 c (new)
66c. Urges the Secretary-General to prioritise the employment of individuals which can work with effective conversion and development of open source, open standards based solutions, and the identification of appropriate social, ethical and secure software and hardware to replace old, vendor-dependent or suspicious ICT architectures;
Amendment 103 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 g (new)
Paragraph 66 g (new)
66g. Urges the Secretary-General to additionally secure that ICT support staff are available to members and staff at the work location, to enable both ICT support staff and parliamentary staff and members with the security and comfort of interacting face-to-face; reminds the Secretary-General that remote-access ICT support can be uncomfortable and less appropriate for the establishment of trust relationships between IT maintenance staff and those in need of IT maintenance; points also to the unsuitability of relying entirely on remote solutions until the above-mentioned security audit is adequately carried out;
Amendment 105 #
2013/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 i (new)
Paragraph 66 i (new)
66i. The Secretary General shall ensure that by 1 December 2014, at least the following auditing actions will have been undertaken: 1. black box penetration testing 2. white box penetration testing 3. review of crypto protocols 4. review of applications 5. review of the Access Control Lists to the applications 6. review of the Access Control Lists to the physical infrastructures 7. review of compilation chain for applications. 8. review of source code for applications. The results of the audit shall be presented to the Committee on Budgetary Control and the Committee on Budgets together with an estimation of expenditures, staff resources and time necessary to remedy any security deficiencies found in the audit;
Amendment 7 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Instructs its President to forward this decision, and the resolution forming an integral part of if, tot, to the Member States, the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture of the Member-States, the national Courts of Auditors, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Court of Auditors and the European Investment Bank, and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).
Amendment 29 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Heading 1
Heading 1
Agricultural and regional policy, subject to political reservationgrounds for binding commitments from the (future) Commission and Member States;
Amendment 40 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. calls, therefore, on the Commission to apply Article 32(5) of the Financial Regulation (EU, Euratom No 966/2012 more strictly in case of a persistently high level of error, and consequently to identify the weaknesses in the control systems and take or propose appropriate action in terms of the possible simplification, the further strengthening of control systems and the redesign of programmes or delivery systems;
Amendment 41 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Is of the view that the risk of error of Union policy areas, in particular in the area of shared management, is higher if the related policies are particularly complex and Member States are reluctant to implement adequate control and reporting systems; urges all relevant actors involved in Union decision-making to simplify further, notably by drafting eligibility rules that are simple and verifiable, cutting red tape and devising appropriate and effective controls;
Amendment 51 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Notes that Commissioner Semeta in the discussions in the Committee on Budgetary Control made the following promises and proposals; - The DGs concerned will build up a new audit strategy based on the weaknesses found in in some Member States and regions year after year, which will trigger more preventive and corrective measures - Increase the random sampling based audits, introducing the necessary delegated acts in cohesion policies on net financial corrections which will be based on objective and transparent criteria applied without discretion, - Financial corrections will be detailed in the next annual report on the protection of the Union budget, - Annual reports from the GDs will include information on risk analyses and the impact of Member-States audit reports, - Conformity procedures will be shortened to two years, - For France and Portugal, comprehensive action plans will be established in the field of agriculture in among other the updating of their LPIS systems, - The introduction of a template and recommendations for national management declarations, - Making better use of RAL and limiting the period covered by pre- financing;
Amendment 52 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Calls on the college to endorse the proposals from the Commissioner;
Amendment 53 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Strongly suggests that the President of Parliament will send all these commitments to the candidates for the post of next president of the Commission asking them to endorse them;
Amendment 56 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that, in the new programming period 2014-2020, net financial corrections can and must be imposed in the event of serious shortcomings in the implementation of cohesion policy and will continue to be the standard in the area of agriculture;
Amendment 60 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Considers swift and correct applied net financial corrections an effective tool for protecting the Union budget and is of the view that recoveries and financial corrections have to be taken into account in any comprehensive assessment of the overall system of internal control; therefore asks the Court of Auditors to come to an agreement with the Commission on how to incorporate the impact of these corrective measures on the protection of the Union budget;
Amendment 69 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Asks the Commission to submit without delay a proposal on limiting if not banning replacement projects all together;
Amendment 91 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Observes that in the 2012 financial year the error rate rose for the third time in succession even taking into account the new methodology of the Courts of Auditors;
Amendment 110 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Would like to be informed on the total amount of the Union's subsidies, grants and other financial instruments that were spent in setting up and improving the LPIS system since the decision was taken, if possible divided by Member-State;
Amendment 131 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls, in the field of agricultural policy, for conformity clearance procedures to be completed in lessefforts to be made to accelerate conformity clearance procedures and to complete standard cases within less than two years, expects that as soon as possible the necessary legal instruments will be submitted leading to the fact that no clearance procedure can last for more than two years;
Amendment 138 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the Commission to demonreport on the strate without delay that the problems identified in France and Portugal have been remediedof play of the implementation of the action plans for France and Portugal, before the deadline for amendments for the vote on the discharge in April 2014;
Amendment 143 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls on the Commission, in the activity reports of the directorates-general, to indicate the percentage of Member States’report the extent to which Member States' control statistics or audit reports which have been examined, verified and validated and the depth in which this has been done;
Amendment 145 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls on the Commission, in its annual activity reports, to indicate how its own risk analyses have influenced the use of its own audit capacities, which countries were concerned and whether the shortcomings were remedied; calls for more direct audits of random samples taken from national granting authorities and final beneficiaries by making extra staff available;
Amendment 152 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls on the Commission to insert in the annual report on the protection of the EU budget a chapter on net financial corrections in the variousper Member States;
Amendment 170 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Regards the newly elected Parliament as being in a position to investigate the reservationsguaranteed measures taken and to be taken in the fields of agriculture and regional policy and lift themto determine if appropriate progress is made; in order to make a well informed decision to grant or refuse discharge to the Commission on the execution of the budget for 2013 and 2014;
Amendment 187 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Respects the Court’s method of taking the random sample with different priority countries and programmes each year for the ‘representative cross-section’; calls, however, in addition, for risk-based and programme-specific country reports starting with the annual report for 2013;
Amendment 216 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69
Paragraph 69
69. Points out that gross pre-financing amounted to EUR 80.,1 billion at the end of 2012 and insists that unnecessary extended periods of pre-financing can lead to an increased risk of error or loss, is of the opinion that pre-financing can and should not exceed EUR 50 billion;
Amendment 246 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 100
Paragraph 100
100. Endorses the recommendation made by the Court of Auditors that the eligibility of land and in particular permanent pasture be properly recorded in LPIS (see paragraphs 3.13, 3.25 and box 3.3. of the annual report of the Court of Auditors for 2012);); urges the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to address the problems with regard to permanent pasture and ensure that it is correctly recorded in the LPIS; urges the Commission to inform Parliament on a six months basis on progress made;
Amendment 252 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 112
Paragraph 112
112. Reiterates its regret that the Commission followsapplied different methodologies to quantify public procurement errors in the policy areas of agriculture and cohesion, both of which furthermore are not in line with the Court of Auditors’ methodology, and calls on the Commission and the Court of Auditors to harmonise the treatment of public procurement errors in these two policy areasshared management without delay;
Amendment 260 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 126
Paragraph 126
126. Calls on the Commission to draw up an action plan in order to reduce the error rate in rural development not only by providing guidance and assistance to the Member States by means of best practice but also by means of systematic interruptions and suspensions of payments, by imposition ofng financial corrections geared to the seriousness of the errors, and by drawing up long term, short- term and ad hoc action plans;
Amendment 286 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 136
Paragraph 136
136. For this reason, reserves its position as regardstaking into account the substantial problems with the regularity of transactions and the effectiveness of systems in the common agricultural policy (direct payments and rural development); will lift this reservation only on the basis ofseeks a commitment to fully protect the budget of the European Union given by the relevant Commissioners-designate during the parliamentary hearing preceding their appointment as Members of the Commission in 2014 and on condition that convincing plans for doing so are presentedUnion to be given by all candidates for the post of President of the next Commission by endorsing the actions and commitments made by the actual commission and by striving for an error rate below the 2% threshold in all policy areas;
Amendment 404 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 209
Paragraph 209
209. Calls on the Commission to describe what measures need to be taken in the EU to control the market for tobacco leaves and, cut raw tobacco and mechanical equipment for the production of cigarettes, in order to combat illegal cigarette factories;
Amendment 407 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 212 a (new)
Paragraph 212 a (new)
212a. Calls on the European Commission to explore open source, well-audited solutions for e-mail and calendaring, including end-user softwares; reminds the Commission that also other parts of the stack not normally visible to end-users such as firewalls, web servers etc. can be considered from an open source, secure perspective if a public tender relies on functional specifications rather than brand-name products;
Amendment 408 #
Amendment 409 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 213 a (new)
Paragraph 213 a (new)
213a. Is concerned with the situation of effective captivity of the Union institutions with specific software-vendors; deplores that the Commission despite this realization has made no steps in 2012 towards preparing open, public tenders for ICT, based on transparent criteria and functional specifications rather than brand-names;
Amendment 410 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 213 b (new)
Paragraph 213 b (new)
213b. Recalls that the size of the SACHA II contract, and the full set of specific brand name products defined therein, was so large that only a very small number of contractors (two) could participate in the open, public tender; urges the Commission to prepare smaller open, public tenders to enable more actors to participate in such procurement and with a larger diversity of offers;
Amendment 411 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 213 c (new)
Paragraph 213 c (new)
213c. Suggests that the Commission invests in more in-house corporate ICT expertise in order to ensure that coordination and preparation of such projects does not become dependent only on external vendors; takes note of the fact that on-going consolidation projects between the different institutional systems can make it more difficult for the Commission to switch from one vendor to a different vendor, if the Commission does not ensure that document and database formats are based on open, interoperable standards;
Amendment 412 #
2013/2195(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 213 d (new)
Paragraph 213 d (new)
213d. Urges the Commission to ensure that any consolidation endeavours in the ICT architecture goes towards well- accepted, open standards that are used by multiple vendors and which can be implemented by open source software; recalls that it is easier to ensure that on- premise e-mail storage is not accessed by foreign interests, because of its geographical location;
Amendment 5 #
2013/2173(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Regrets the fact that in the OPs, the definition of ‘older workers’ is not used consistently; notes that many MAs do not use in their respective OPs the definition of ’older workers’ as defined in the Lisbon Agenda, namely any person of working age between 55 and 64 years old, but instead use different age groups, is of the opinion that the definition of "older workers" should be adapted to the maximum legal pension age in the respective Member- States;
Amendment 11 #
2013/2173(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Is of the opinion that specific groups of workers needs special adapted programmes and projects, like those working in shifts or heavy industry versus those in less physical jobs like the service industry/sectors, further points out that gender as a policy factor should be incorporated;
Amendment 12 #
2013/2173(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Strongly believes that the experience of older workers is an asset which should be used in the best possible way, not only for individual workers to remain active in the labour market in their own job but to see to it that they can use this acquired experience by and in changing jobs;
Amendment 13 #
2013/2173(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Calls on the European Economic and Social Committee to pay due attention to this Special report of the Court of Auditors and to closely monitor if the European Commission and the Member - States are giving a proper follow up to its conclusions;
Amendment 15 #
2013/2173(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission to put more emphasis on the fight against age discrimination of older workers and to use its prerogatives under the existing legal instruments to tackle blatant forms of age discrimination in certain Member- States and in certain sectors of the economy;
Amendment 2 #
2013/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the EU to uphold the indivisibility of human rights, which includes the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in conformity with art. 21 of the Lisbon Treaty; General Provisions on the Union's External Action;
Amendment 3 #
2013/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Is of the view that national parliaments and civil society organisations play an important role in implementing effectively human rights provisions and stresses that favourable conditions are necessary for their participation in decision making in order to reinforce genuine ownership of development strategy policy choice;
Amendment 3 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1a (new)
Paragraph 1a (new)
1a. Points out that, while the overall objective of EU-ASEAN cooperation in the period 2011-2013 is to contribute to ASEAN regional integration, i.e. by enabling the setting-up of the ASEAN Community by 2015, cross-sectoral programmes include, among others, negotiating Free Trade Agreements; against this background, reiterates that a "pro-growth strategy" should not be confused with a long term development strategy that entails the financing of long- term objectives, such as health, education, access to energy in rural areas, support of small farmers, etc.; in particular, urges the Commission, in a context where there is no automaticity between the promotion of an export-oriented growth, achieved through the liberalisation of trade, and the reduction of poverty, to ensure that programmes financed under the DCI have a direct link with the overriding objective of eradication of poverty, in line with Policy Coherence for Development, as enshrined in article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 9 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3a (new)
Paragraph 3a (new)
3a. Welcomes the fact that ASEAN Charter stresses the importance of the rule of law, good governance, democracy and constitutional government; regrets however that the Charter lacks mechanisms for dispute settlements and sanctions in case of human rights violations;
Amendment 11 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the ASEAN countries should advance towards a new phase of inclusive economic and social development, with particular emphasis on promoting their peoples’ human, social, labour and economic rights, in order to ensure fairer and more equal societies; to achieve this, considers that they should use their increased economic wealth to strengthen their social security and protection networks; urges equally the EU to enhance its cooperation on human rights so as to contribute to making the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) effective for the promotion and protection of human rights;
Amendment 13 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4a (new)
Paragraph 4a (new)
4a. Urges the EU to upgrade its assistance and cooperation to combat corruption, through, inter alia, encouraging the ratification and implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption;
Amendment 17 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5a (new)
Paragraph 5a (new)
5a. Expresses its concern about the current global land-grab in Southeast Asia where in some specific countries (e.g. Cambodia, Indonesia, East Timor, Laos, Philippines, Malaysia) it represents a major development problem; underlines that even if the EU does not engage extensively in direct land-grabbing, it contributes to it in various ways, i.e. through banking and finance (via the increasing interest by financial capital on farmland and agricultural investments globally) as well as its trade policy; for instance, points out that Cambodia, that can export their goods without tariffs under the EU's "Everything But Arms" (EBA) Agreement with LDCs, has seen an escalation of human rights abuses as a result of land concessions being granted for agro-industrial development linked to the export of agricultural goods to the EU;
Amendment 18 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5b (new)
Paragraph 5b (new)
5b. Denounces equally the negative impact of EU biofuel policy on land- grabbing in South Asia, whereby EU Member States constitute a key driving force for the rapid expansion of oil palm production (especially in Indonesia and Malaysia), leading to dispossession and/or adverse incorporation of the rural poor into oil palm plantation; in contrast, deems essential to support, within the context of development aid, the rights to land resources of poor people in developing countries, following a right- based approach;
Amendment 19 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5c (new)
Paragraph 5c (new)
5c. Urges for the activation of the EU 2004 Land Policy Guidelines to counter land-grabbing; in particular, stresses that donors should engage in land policy which are geared towards the defence and strengthening of small-scale family agriculture;
Amendment 3 #
2013/2145(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Asks to be informed by the Commission about all amounts received during the year 2013 from agreements with the major tobacco companies including penalty payments as foreseen in the agreements, fines from companies that breach EU rules and regulations, including the total amount which was attributed to the budget of the Union;
Amendment 4 #
2013/2145(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Draws attention to the specific nature of the humanitarian aid, which brings relief to people in acute danger or deep distress, and to the chronic, grave and further worsening lack of payments money in this chapter; deplores that this lack steadily forces ECHO to improvisations and threatens the EU's ability to take timely and efficient action in places where this is direly needed and the EU has already decided to enter or to step up its engagement; insists on the need to remedy this abnormal situation and calls on the Council to accept a major increase in the Emergency Aid Reserve; invites the Commission to mobilise swiftly this Reserve in case of need and if necessary to table an amending budget in order to increase appropriations;
Amendment 9 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Strongly believes, however, that within these broad priorities greater focus should be placed on investing in long-term job creation and on generating a durable and visible impact in the real economy, and therefore calls, in this respect, for an annual in- depth evaluation providing viable figures on the long-term employment created through, and the impact on the economy as a result of, EIB lending, in all areas, following the financial crisis;
Amendment 20 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Demands that the EIB increase its internal risk-taking capacity by ensuring that its risk-management systems are adapted to the current environment; at the same time taking into account the highest financial standards concerning due diligence and transparency ;
Amendment 29 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Believes, moreover, that the EIB advisory capacity could be used to provide targeted technical and specialised assistance at government level and where appropriate also at regional level, in order to facilitate proper assessments regarding the benefits of involving a SG in a PPP programme;
Amendment 30 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Recalls the launch in 2012, by the EIB and the Commission and with the support of Member States, of the pilot phase of the Project Bond Initiative, which aims at boosting the funding for key-infrastructure projects by attracting institutional investors; But urges that these key- infrastructure projects should be selected to those that serve the public interest and respond best to the social, environmental, cultural and economic needs of peoples and communities. funding via Project Bonds should promote a transition towards a sustainable economic model based on the respect for territories and the environment, capable to respond to the needs for local jobs for younger generations, especially in the Mediterranean region, where the economic and financial crisis is having the most severe impacts also in terms of youth unemployment;
Amendment 32 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Demands that Parliament be informed on an annual basis about the selected projects in an appropriate manner and in due time;
Amendment 34 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. 32. Welcomes the EIB’'s new energy policy, introducing new energy lending criteria that reflect the EU’'s energy and climate policies as well as current investment trends; demands that EIB energy investments are made public and analysed on an annual basis, showing which energy sources are supported by the EIB;
Amendment 35 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Welcomes the introduction by the EIB of a new Emissions Performance Standard (EPS), to be applied to all fossil fuel generation projects in order to screen out investments with projected carbon emissions exceeding a threshold level; calls on the Board of the EIB to keep the Emissions Performance Standard under review and to consider more restrictive commitments in the future; recalls the EIB commitment to review the EPS in 2014 in the light of the 2030 climate and energy package's discussion and calls for an EPS level that is compatible with the EU long term climate target, at a level of 350 g CO2/kWh;
Amendment 36 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33 a. Given the step change that will result from the 2030 climate and energy package, requiring a stronger decarbonisation and additional low carbon investments efforts, demands that the EIB does a climate assessment and review of all its activities in 2014 making the results and recommendations public. On this basis, it should elaborate a renewed climate policy including more ambitious climate action targets, a stronger weighting of climate action through project assessment and an integrated approach to smartly combine sector-specific policies for key sectors (energy, transport) and cross-cutting energy efficiency and low carbon requirements;
Amendment 37 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Recalls the important role played by the EIB in financing public and private sector investment in energy infrastructure and in supporting projects that contribute to achieving EU climate and energy policy goals; recalls the 2007 Parliament resolution calling for an end to public funding for fossil fuel projects and a shift to energy efficiency and renewable energies, and calls on the EIB to become the first fossil fuel-free public bank globally in 2020 at the latest;
Amendment 39 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34 a. Demands that the EIB enforces the best international standards regarding hydropower, namely the World Commission on Dams' guiding principles and the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP), implying to only invest in cases where countries have put in place a legal framework establishing energy planning mechanisms (including "no go" areas) and requiring that negative impacts on ecosystems and local communities are properly assessed, avoided, mitigated and monitored and implying as well that the projects are not located in/nearby protected areas or on river stretches with good ecological status;
Amendment 57 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Invites the EIB to identify and select higher-value-added and higher-risk projects, notably by identifying start-ups, micro-enterprises, cooperatives, clusters of enterprises, SMEs and mid-cap companies undertaking research, development and innovation projects in priority technologies area;
Amendment 59 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Reiterates with concern that a considerable number of outstanding issues remain unresolved in this area, notably the lack of transparency that is inherent to this type of lending (especially concerning information about the final beneficiaries), the difficulty in assessing the economic and social impact of the loans (resulting in a flawed targeted approach) and the reliance, via outsourcing of responsibilities, on third parties for carrying out the due diligence; urges the Bank to provide details on its approach to accelerate measures addressing these issues;
Amendment 79 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 76
Paragraph 76
76. Reiterates and accentuates the Bank’'s responsibility in enhancing the level of transparency in the selection of financial intermediaries and partners for co-financed projects and as regards the final beneficiaries; Reiterates with concern that there is still a lack of due diligence and transparency towards financial intermediaries. Therefore asks for a stringent list of criteria for selection of these financial intermediaries to be established by the EIB jointly with the Commission and be publicly available;
Amendment 80 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 76 a (new)
Paragraph 76 a (new)
76 a. Furthermore ask for a public exclusion list for financial intermediaries to be developed jointly with the EC, based on their track record in terms of transparency, fraud, links to offshore jurisdictions and social and environmental impacts;
Amendment 88 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80
Paragraph 80
80. Welcomes the fact that the EIB has taken measures in the area of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, and has reinforced the resources of its compliance function through the appointment of a new Group Chief Compliance Officer; requests that Parliament be updated regularlyon a six month basis on the results presented in the Group Chief Compliance Officer’'s report; Calls for the EIB to revise its Non Cooperative Jurisdictions policy (tax heavens policy). The EIB must therefore ensure that all companies and financial institutions involved in its projects publicly disclose the beneficial ownership of any legal structure directly or indirectly related to the company, including trusts, foundations and bank accounts
Amendment 89 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80 a (new)
Paragraph 80 a (new)
80 a. Calls on the EIB to follow the Country by country reporting in order to combat financing of illegal activities. In order to be eligible for EIB financing, all beneficiaries, whether corporations or financial intermediaries, that are incorporated in different jurisdictions must be obliged to disclose country level information about their sales, assets, employees, profits and tax payments in each country in which they operate in their audited annual reports. Beneficiaries must make contracts with host governments public and in particular disclose the fiscal regime in each country in which they operate;
Amendment 90 #
2013/2131(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82
Paragraph 82
82. Calls on the EIB to report on the state of play and status of previous recommendations issued by Parliament in each annual report;
Amendment 9 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the EU regulatory framework in place for food safety and the food chain has provided thea highest level of food safety for EU consumers until now;
Amendment 18 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas recent fraud cases include the marketing of horsemeat as beef, of ordinary flour as organic flour, of battery cage eggs as organic eggs, of road salt as food salt and of horsemeat as beef, and, of maize contaminated by aflatoxins, the use of methanol- contaminated alcohol in spirits, and the mislabelling of fish species;
Amendment 57 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that recent food fraud cases have exposed different types of food fraud, such as replacing key ingredients with cheaper alternatives, wrongly labelling the animal species used in a meat or seafood products, incorrectly labelling weight, selling ordinary foods as organic, unfairly using origin or animal welfare quality logos, labelling aquaculture fish as wild-caught, counterfeiting and marketing food past its ‘use-by’ date;
Amendment 62 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that foods which are often subject to fraudulent activities include olive oil, fish, meat, organic products, grains, honey, coffee, tea, spices, wine, certain fruit juices and milk;
Amendment 65 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that food fraud generally occurs where the potential financial gain is high, and the risk of getting caught low; considers it regrettuntenable that committing food fraud in the EU is lucrative and that the chances of getting caught are relatively low;
Amendment 66 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Points to the complexity and cross- border character of the food chain, in combination with the predominantly national character of controls, sanctions and enforcement, a situation which is believed to increase the risk of food fraud; believes that a better traceability of ingredients and products within the whole food chain would help combat fraud;
Amendment 68 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Notes that food business operators currently do not always know where the ingredients they use are sourced from;
Amendment 69 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Is convinced that shorter food chains would lower the possibilities for fraud; therefore calls for introducing a local farming and direct sales labelling scheme, which would make it possible to promote foods from short chains;
Amendment 82 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Member States to ensure that the issues raised by FVO are properly acted on and addressed;
Amendment 84 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. More specifically, urges the Commission and Member States to act on the findings of FVO audits with regard to faked medical treatment records of animals destined for slaughter for export to the EU, and to exclude meat and other animal products from third countries, which cannot be guaranteed to be compliant with EU food safety requirements, from being placed on the EU market;
Amendment 90 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that official controls should focus not only on food safety issues, but also on preventing fraud and the risk of consumers being misled; welcomes the fact that the Commission's proposal for a review of official controls incorporates extra controls in respect of food fraud where competent authorities have reason to suspect fraudulent behaviour by an operator;
Amendment 94 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Rejects any plans to delegate inspection tasks from public authorities to economic operators, as food business operators often focus on profits and lowering costs rather than on food safety and consumer protection;
Amendment 96 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Acknowledges the importance of clear and transparent business-to-business and business-to-consumer labelling and calls on the Commission to review EU food law in this area where necessary, to reduce the risk of food fraud;
Amendment 97 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Believes that food business operators should be able to tell where the food or ingredients used are sourced from, meaning that each food business operator within the production chain bears their share of the responsibility for the end product;
Amendment 99 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Recalls that Regulation 1169/2011 stipulates that the Commission will adopt, by December 2013, implementing acts regarding the mandatory labelling of the country of origin labelling for meat from swine, sheep, goats and poultry as well as on voluntary labelling; believes that labelling the places of birth, rearing and slaughter will help ensure better traceability along the food supply chain, more stable relationships between meat suppliers and processors and increased diligence when food business operators choose their suppliers and products;
Amendment 103 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recalls that Parliament has previously called on the Commission to undertake impact assessmenfor origin labelling for all meat and meat in processed foods, and that the Commission is working on reports on origin labelling for fresh meat and products containing meat; urges the Commission to rapidly to present its impact assessments and report on this issuereports and follow up with legislative proposals; urges the Commission to rely on independent sources of information; stresses that whilst origin labelling is cannot a tool forentirely combating food fraud, although it may indirectlyit will lead to a better-informed and more transparent supply chain and help restore consumer confidence;
Amendment 119 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Considers it valuable for the food sector proactively to develop private-sector anti-fraud programmes such as product integrity checks, and welcomes current initiatives such as the Global Food Safety Initiative; is however convinced that industry-driven initiatives can only be an additional tool, and never replace official controls;
Amendment 122 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Believes that the retail sector has a special responsibility to guarantee the integrity of food products and to demand from its suppliers a safe and secure supply chain; believes it is the responsibility of retailers to check at least the formal compliance with labelling rules; deplores the pressure on primary producers from retail and other food business operators to produce ever more cheaply;
Amendment 123 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Is convinced that unannounced independent inspections are essential to ensure effective implementation of food safety and labelling standards; therefore believes that unannounced inspections should be the norm;
Amendment 128 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Recommends that the FVO and national authorities include in their audits so-called mass balance checks on input and, output and waste flows;
Amendment 130 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Calls on the Commission, as a matter of urgency, to put in place an electronic system to enable the rapid exchange of information between Member States and the Commission in food fraud cases; calls for the publication of annual reports outlining cases of fraud that have been uncovered, by analogy with the RASFF reports;
Amendment 131 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Suggests introducing DNA testing as a standard procedure for determining species, especially regarding meat and fish products, and to establish a centralized DNA database to this end;
Amendment 135 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29b. Calls on the Commission to address loopholes in existing food safety and traceability rules related to imports of food from third parties, which bear a higher risk of food fraud;
Amendment 137 #
2013/2091(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 c (new)
Paragraph 29 c (new)
29c. Believes that the outcomes of controls should be made public in a way easily accessible and understandable for consumers, e.g. in the form of a rating scheme; is convinced that this would help consumers in making decisions and also give incentives for food business operators to perform well;
Amendment 47 #
2013/2015(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 136 a (new)
Paragraph 136 a (new)
136a. Calls on the Commission also to take note of the numerous petitions concerning mismanagement or legal-, environmental problems with programmes and projects financed from structural funds, for example, concerning Structural Funds used to renovate or build new institutions for persons with disabilities, which might be contrary to the obligations of the Union and its Member States under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, amounting to EUR 29 million in Romania and EUR 185 million in Slovakia; would like to be informed if in future community based services could be made also a priority in line with the UN Convention;"
Amendment 94 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
Having regard to the positions of both Council and European Parliament on 29 March 2011, when the conciliation on novel foods failed;
Amendment 96 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) A high level of protection of human health and of consumers’ interests, of the environment and animal welfare, and the effective functioning of the internal market should be assured in the pursuit of Union food policies, whilst ensuring transparency. At all times, moreover, the precautionary principle as laid down in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety[1], should be applied. Or. en ([1] OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1.)
Amendment 113 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Emerging technologies in food production processes may have an impact on food and thereby on food safety. Therefore, it should also be clarified that a food should be considered as a novel food where a production process which was not previously used for food production in the Union is applied to that food or when foods contain or consist of engineered nanomaterials, as defined in Article 2(2)(t) of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council16 . __________________ 16Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directive 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC No 608/2004 (OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 18).
Amendment 120 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) Foods with a new or intentionally modified primary molecular structure, foods consisting of, or isolated from, micro-organisms, fungi or algae, new strains of micro-organism with no history of safe use and concentrates of substances that naturally occur in plants should be considered as novel foods as defined in this Regulation.
Amendment 132 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) It should be clarified that foods from third countries which are regarded as novel foods in the Union should only be considered as traditional foods from third countries when they are derived from primary production as defined in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, regardless of whether or not they are processed or unprocessed foods. Therefore, where a new production process has been applied to this food or where the food contains or consists of ‘engineered nanomaterials’ as defined in Article 2(2)(t) of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, the food should not be considered to be traditional.
Amendment 136 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
Amendment 138 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The determination of whether a food was used for human consumption to a significant degree within the Union before 15 May 1997 should be based on information submitted by food business operators and, where appropriate, supported by other information available in the Member States. Food business operators should consult Member States if they are unsure of the status of the food they intend to place on the market. When there is no information or insufficient information available on human consumption before 15 May 1997, a simple and transparent procedure, involving the Commission, the Member States and food business operators, should be established for collecting such information. Implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to specify the procedural steps of such consultation process should be established for collecting such information.
Amendment 143 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Novel foods should be authorised and used only if they fulfil the criteria laid down in this Regulation. Novel foods should be safe, beneficial to consumers, and their use should not mislead the consumer. Therefore, where a novel food is intended to replace another food, it should not differ from that food in a way that would be nutritionally less advantageous for the consumer. The assessment of the safety of a novel food should be based on the precautionary principle as laid down in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002.
Amendment 144 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Novel foods should not be placed on the market or used in food for human consumption unless they are included in a Union list of novel foods authorised to be placed on the market within the Union (‘the Union list’). Therefore, it is appropriate to establish, by means of an implementing act, a Union list of novel foods by entering novel foods already authorised or notified in accordance with Article 4, 5 or 7 of Regulation (EC) No 258/97 in the Union list, including any existing authorisation conditions. As those novel foods have already been evaluated for their safety, have been legally produced and marketed in the Union and have not given rise to health concerns in the past, the advisory procedure should be used for the initial establishment of the Union list.
Amendment 150 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) It is appropriate to authorise a novel food by updating the Union list subject to the criteria and the procedures laid down in this Regulation. A procedure that is efficient, time-limited and transparent should be put in place. As regards traditional foods from third countries having a history of safe use it is appropriate to provide for a faster and simplified procedure to update the Union list if no reasoned safety objections are expressed. As the updating of the Union list implies the application of criteria laid down in this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferrThe power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should therefore be delegated ton the Commission, in that respecorder to update the list.
Amendment 159 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) As regards the possible use of nanomaterials for food use, EFSA consideracknowledged in its opinion of 6 April 201121 on Guidance on the risk assessment of the application of nanoscience and nanotechnologies in the food and feed chain that the test methods currently available might not be adequate for assessing the risks associated with nanomaterials and considered, more specifically, that limited information is available in relation to aspects of nanotoxicokinetics and toxicology of engineered nanomaterials and that existing toxicity testing methods may need methodological modifications. In order to better assess the safety of nanomaterials for food use, the Commission is developingshall therefore develop non-animal test methods which take into account specific characteristics of engineered nanomaterials. __________________ 21 as a matter of urgency. __________________ 21 EFSA Journal 2011;9(5):2140. EFSA Journal 2011;9(5):2140.
Amendment 162 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 a (new)
Recital 21 a (new)
(21a) In order to protect human health, the use of nanotechnologies in food production should be prohibited until appropriate nano-specific test methods have been approved for use and adequate safety assessments on the basis of these tests can be carried out.
Amendment 163 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 b (new)
Recital 21 b (new)
(21b) Differing interpretations of the term ‘particle’ exist. It should therefore be clarified that foods containing soft nanomaterials, such as micelles or liposomes, are also covered by the definition of ‘novel food’.
Amendment 164 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 c (new)
Recital 21 c (new)
(21c) When test methods are applied to nanomaterials, an explanation should be provided of their scientific appropriateness for nanomaterials, and, where applicable, of the technical adaptations/adjustments that have been made in order to respond to the specific characteristics of these materials.
Amendment 165 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 d (new)
Recital 21 d (new)
(21d) Only nanomaterials entered in a list of approved substances should be present in food packaging, accompanied by a limit on migration into or onto the food products contained in such packaging.
Amendment 166 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) When a novel food is authorised and included in the Union list, the Commission should have the power to introduce post- market monitoring requirements should be introduced to monitor the use of the authorised novel food to ensure that the use is within safe limits as established in the safety assessment by EFSA. In any event, food business operators should inform the Commission of any relevant information regarding the food they have placed on the market.
Amendment 172 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24 b (new)
Recital 24 b (new)
(24b) In its 2010 second reading on the novel food dossier, the European Parliament, by a very large majority, asked for prohibiting the placing on the market of foods from cloned animals and their descendants. After the conciliation on novel foods failed in March 2011, the Commission committed to come forward with a specific proposal on cloned animals and their descendants, taking into account both the positions of Council and European Parliament. However, the proposals on cloning and clone food presented in December 2013 do not provide for any measures as regards descendants of cloned animals, not even with a view to inform the consumers. Moreover, it does not allow the European Parliament to exercise its rights as Co- legislator. It is therefore appropriate for the Commission to use the opportunity the appointment of the new College offers and to withdraw the 2013 proposals in order to come forward with new proposals, based on the ordinary legislative procedure, in order to take account of the demands by the Parliament.
Amendment 175 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation with regard to updating the Union list concerning the adding of a traditional food from a third country where no reasoned safety objections have been expressed, implementing powersthe power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be conferred on the Commission.
Amendment 180 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) The implementing powers relating to the definition of ‘novel food’, the consultation process for determination of novel food status, other updates of the Union list, the drafting and presentation of applications or notifications for the inclusion of foods in the Union list, the arrangements for checking the validity of applications or notifications, confidentiality treatment and transitional provisions, should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council22 . __________________ 22 Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers (OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13).
Amendment 183 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28 a (new)
Recital 28 a (new)
(28a) The power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the authorisation of novel foods and of traditional foods from a third country, the updating of the Union list, and the consultation process for determination of a novel food status. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level. The Commission, when preparing and drawing up delegated acts, should ensure simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and to the Council.
Amendment 185 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28 c (new)
Recital 28 c (new)
Amendment 190 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. The purpose of this Regulation is to provide a high level of protection of consumers’ interests, and of animal welfare and the environment, while ensuring the effective functioning of the internal market.
Amendment 193 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) food falling within the scope of Council Directive XXX/XX/EU on [on the placing on the market of food from animal clones]derived from cloned animals and their descendants. Until specific legislation on such food enters into force, no food from cloned animals and their descendants shall be placed on the market.
Amendment 206 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
(i) food to which a new production process not used for food production within the Union before 15 May 1997 is applied, where that production process gives rise to significant changes in the composition or structure of the food which affect its nutritional value, the way it is metabolised or the level of undesirable substances, or where that production process might give rise to ethical concerns;
Amendment 226 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii
(ii) food containing or consisting of ‘engineered nanomaterials’ as defined in Article 2(2)(t) of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011any intentionally manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or agglomerate and where, for 10% or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is in the size range 1nm to 100nm;
Amendment 232 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii – indent 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii – indent 2
– such substances contain or consist of ‘engineered nanomaterials’ as defined in Article 2(2)t of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011any intentionally manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or agglomerate and where, for 10% or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is in the size range 1nm to 100nm;
Amendment 249 #
2013/0435(COD)
Amendment 262 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Food business operators shall consult a Member State where they are unsure whether or not a food which they intend to place on the market within the Union falls within the scope of this Regulation. In that case, food business operators shall provide the necessary information to the Member State on request to enable it to determine in particular the extent to which the food in question was used for human consumption within the Union before 15 May 1997whether or not a food falls within the scope of this Regulation. With a view to determining that assessment, the Member State shall consult the Commission and the other Member States.
Amendment 266 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
The Commission may, by means of implementdelegated acts ing actscordance with Article 26 a, specify the procedural steps of the consultation process provided for in paragraph 2.
Amendment 268 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 272 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall establish and update a Union list of novel foods authorised to be placed on the market within the Union in accordance with Articles 6, 7 and 8 (‘the Union list’) is laid down in the Annex.
Amendment 277 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. The Commission shall make the Union list available to the public on its website.
Amendment 278 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 c (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. The Commission shall also make a list of rejected applications publicly available, in order to serve as reference for future applications.
Amendment 279 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) it does not, on the basis of the scientific evidence available, pose a safety risk to human health, nor to animal welfare or the environment;
Amendment 282 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) its use does not mislead the consumer, but offers benefits to consumers;
Amendment 287 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
In the event of doubt, due, for example, to insufficient scientific certainty or lack of data, the precautionary principle shall be applied and the food in question shall not be included in the Union list.
Amendment 288 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Foods to which production processes have been applied that require specific risk assessment methods (for example, foods produced using nanotechnologies as referred to in Article 2 (2) (ii)) may not be included in the Union list until such specific methods have been approved by EFSA for use, and an adequate safety assessment on the basis of those methods has shown that the use of the respective foods is safe.
Amendment 289 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
No later than …23 the Commission shall, by means of an implementing act, establish the Union list by entering novel foods authorised or notified under Articles 4, 5 or 7 of Regulation (EC) N° 258/97 in the Union listare listed in the Annex to this Regulation, including any existing authorisation conditions. __________________ 23Publications Office: please insert date: 24 months after the entry into force of this Regulation.
Amendment 297 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Amendment 307 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The entry for a novel food in the Union list provided for in paragraph 2 shall include where relevant:
Amendment 310 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point a a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point a a (new)
(aa) the date of entry of the novel food in the Union list
Amendment 311 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point a b (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point a b (new)
(ab) the name and address of the applicant;
Amendment 313 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) where relevant, the conditions under which the novel food may be used, in order to avoid, in particular, possible adverse effects on particular groups of the population, the exceeding of maximum intake levels and risks in case of excessive consumption;
Amendment 314 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) where relevant, additional specific labelling requirements to inform the final consumer of any specific characteristic or food property, such as the composition, nutritional value or nutritional effects and intended use of the food, which renders a novel food no longer equivalent to an existing food or of implications for the health of specific groups of the population;
Amendment 316 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The procedure for authorising the placing on the market within the Union of a novel food and updating of the Union list provided for in Article 8 shall start either on the Commission's initiative or following an application to the Commission by an applicant. The Commission shall forward the application to Member States and make it available to the public on its website.
Amendment 325 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission may request EFSA to render its opinion if the update is liable to have an effect on human healthshall forward the valid application to EFSA and request EFSA to render its opinion.
Amendment 332 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. When test methods are applied to nanomaterials as referred to in Article 2 (2) (ii), an explanation shall be provided of their scientific appropriateness for nanomaterials and, where applicable, of the technical adaptations or adjustments that have been made in order to respond to the specific characteristics of these materials.
Amendment 337 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. The procedure forCommission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 26 (a) concerning the authorisingation of the placing on the market within the Union of a novel foods and the updating of the Union list as provided for in Article 8 shall end with the adoption of an implementing act in accordance with Article 11list laid down in the Annex.
Amendment 339 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 341 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – introductory part
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – introductory part
In assessing the safety of novel foods, EFSA shall, where appropriate, consider the following:
Amendment 346 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point b a (new)
(ba) whether the composition of the novel food and the conditions of its use do not pose a risk to animal health and welfare and/or the environment;
Amendment 347 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point b b (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point b b (new)
(bb) whether the novel food concerned does not have properties resulting in nutritional disadvantages to the consumers compared to another food it is meant to replace;
Amendment 348 #
2013/0435(COD)
(bc) whether cumulative and synergistic effects could arise, and whether particular groups of the population could be adversely affected.
Amendment 356 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Within nine months from the date of publication of EFSA's opinion, the Commission shall submit to the committee referred to in Article 27(1) a draft implementbe empowered to present a draft delegated act ing actcordance with Article 26(a) updating the Union list taking account of:
Amendment 359 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 365 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Amendment 372 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the contents, drafting and presentation of the application referred to in Article 9(1);
Amendment 373 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – point c
Amendment 385 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall forward the valid notification provided for in Article 13 without delay to the Member States and to EFSA and shall make it available to the public on its website.
Amendment 387 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 2
2. Within four months from the date on which the valid notification is forwarded by the Commission in accordance with paragraph 1, a Member State and/or EFSA may submit to the Commission reasoned safety objections regarding its compliance with Article 6, based on scientific evidence, to the placing on the market within the Union of the traditional food concerned.
Amendment 390 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4
Article 14 – paragraph 4
4. Where no reasoned safety objections are made in accordance with paragraph 2 within the time-limit laid down in that paragraph, the Commission shall authorise the placing on the market within the Union of the traditional food concerned and update without delay the Union list. Where applicable, certain conditions for use, specific labelling requirements, or post- market monitoring requirements shall be specified.
Amendment 392 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. The entry in the Union list shall specify that it concerns a traditional food from a third country.
Amendment 394 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Where reasoned safety objections, based on scientific evidence, are submitted to the Commission in accordance with paragraph 2, the Commission shall not authorise the placing on the market of the traditional food concerned nor update the Union list.
Amendment 396 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 16 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. In assessing the safety of a traditional food from a third country, EFSA shall consider the following matters:(To be voted together with amendment on Article 16(2)(a).)
Amendment 399 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 16 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) whether the history of safe food use in a third country is substantiated by reliable data submitted by the applicant in accordance with Articles 13 and 15; as well as requirements laid down in Article 10 (1).
Amendment 402 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 16 – paragraph 2 – point b
Amendment 409 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Within three months of the date of publication of EFSA's opinion, the Commission shall submit to the Committee referred to in Article 27(1) a draft implementing actbe empowered to submit a draft delegated act in accordance with Article 26 (a) to authorise the placing on the market within the Union of the traditional food from a third country and to update the Union list, taking into account the following:
Amendment 413 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 421 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the contents, drafting and presentation of the notification provided for in Article 13 and of the application provided for in Article 14(5);
Amendment 423 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – point d
Amendment 429 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
After expiry of the time period referred to in paragraph 3, the Commission may decide after consulting withhaving heard the applicants which information may remain confidential and, in the case a decision has been taken, shall notify the Member States and the applicants accordingly.
Amendment 434 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point e e (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point e e (new)
(ee) The results of the studies carried out to demonstrate the safety of the food.
Amendment 438 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 5
Article 22 – paragraph 5
5. The Commission, the Member States and EFSA shall take the necessary measures to ensure appropriate confidentiality of the information received by them under this Regulation in accordance with paragraph 4, except for information which is required to be made public in order to protect human health, animal health and welfare, and the environment.
Amendment 441 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 8
Article 22 – paragraph 8
Amendment 445 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission may, for food safety reasons and taking into account the opinion of EFSA, impose aA requirement for post-market monitoring of ashall be imposed for all novel foods to ensure that the use of the authorised novel food is within safe limits.
Amendment 449 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23a Migration limits for constituents of food contact materials The packaging of novel foods shall comply with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. When limits on the migration of certain constituents or groups of constituents into or on to food are set in accordance with Article 5 of this Regulation, specific attention shall be paid to food contact materials made from or containing nanomaterials. Not later than (12 months after entry into force of this Regulation), the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and the Council on how to address the issue of nanomaterials in food contact materials. This report shall elaborate, inter alia, on what test methods are needed for ascertaining the safety of nanomaterials in food contact materials, whether or not it is appropriate to authorise them, or what migration limits should be set.
Amendment 450 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 b (new)
Article 23 b (new)
Article 23b Privileges of Member States 1. Where a Member State, as a result of new information or a reassessment of existing information, has detailed grounds for considering that the use of a food or a food ingredient complying with this Regulation endangers human health or the environment, that Member State may either temporarily restrict or suspend the trade in and use of the food or food ingredient in question in its territory. It shall immediately inform the other Member States and the Commission thereof, giving the grounds for its decision. 2. The Commission, in close cooperation with EFSA, shall examine the grounds referred to in paragraph 1 as soon as possible and shall take the appropriate measures. The Member State which took the decision referred to in paragraph 1 may maintain it until the measures have entered into force.
Amendment 453 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1
Article 24 – paragraph 1
1. On request by the applicant, supported by appropriate and verifiable information included in the application provided for in Article 9(1), newly developed scientific evidence or scientific data supporting the application may not be used for the benefit of a subsequent application during a period of five years from the date of the authorisation and the inclusion of the novel food in the Union list without the agreement of the prior applicant, unless there is a public health protection justification for doing so.
Amendment 457 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. In order to avoid the repetition of studies involving vertebrates, reference by a subsequent applicant to studies on vertebrates and other studies that may prevent animal testing shall be allowed. The owner of the data may claim adequate compensation for the use of the data.
Amendment 459 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Chapter 6 – title
Chapter 6 – title
Penalties and committee proceduregeneral provisions
Amendment 462 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 b (new)
Article 26 b (new)
Amendment 475 #
2013/0435(COD)
1. Any request for placing a novel food on the market within the Union submitted to a Member State in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 258/97 and for which the final decision has not been taken before …27 shall be considered as an application under this Regulation. __________________ 27 Publications Office: please insert date: 124 months after the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
Amendment 478 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 3
Article 29 – paragraph 3
Amendment 484 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2
Article 30 – paragraph 2
It shall apply from …28 . __________________ 28 Publications Office: please insert date: 124 months after the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
Amendment 485 #
2013/0435(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Annex Union list of novel foods and conditions of use
Amendment 40 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital -1 (new)
Recital -1 (new)
(-1) In the implementation of Union policy and having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a high level of protection of human health and consumer protection should be guaranteed, as well as a high level of animal welfare and environmental protection. At all times, the precautionary principle as laid down in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council1a should be applied. __________________ 1aRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1).
Amendment 41 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The cloning of animals is incompatible with Council Directive 98/58/EC20, which lays down general minimum welfare standards for animals bred or kept for farming purposes. ItDirective 98/58/EC calls on Member States to avoid unnecessary pain, suffering or injury of farm animals. If cloning causes unnecessary pain, suffering or injury, Member States have to act at national level to avoid it, and, more specifically, states that 'natural or artificial breeding procedures which cause, or are likely to cause, suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned must not be practised'. Different national approaches to animal cloning could lead to market distortion. It is thus necessary to ensure that the same conditions apply to all involved in the production and distribution of live animal clones, embryo clones, descendants of animal clones, germinal products of animal clones and of their descendants, and of food from animal clones and their descendants throughout the Union. __________________ 20 Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes (OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, p. 23).
Amendment 44 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded, in its 2008 opinion on animal cloning20a, that 'the health and welfare of a significant proportion of clones (...) have been found to be adversely affected, often severely and with a fatal outcome'. More specifically, EFSA has confirmed that surrogate dams used in cloning suffer in particular from placenta dysfunctions contributing to increased levels of miscarriages21 . This contributes, amongst other things, to the low efficiency of the technique, 6 to 15 % for bovine and 6 % for porcine species, and the need to implant embryo clones into several dams to obtain one clone. In addition, clone abnormalities and unusually large offspring result in difficult births and neonatal deaths. __________________ High mortality rates at all development stages are characteristic of the cloning technique21a. __________________ 20a http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/ doc/767.pdf 21 Scientific Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food Safety, Animal Health and Welfare and Environmental Impact of Animals derived from Cloning by Somatic Cell Nucleus Transfer (SCNT) and their Offspring and Products Obtained from those Animals http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/c loning.htm?wtrl=01 21a http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/ doc/2794.pdf
Amendment 49 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) As regards food safety, EFSA stresses the importance of acknowledging that the data base is limited, and concludes: 'Uncertainties in the risk assessment arise due to the limited number of studies available, the small sample sizes investigated and, in general, the absence of a uniform approach that would allow all the issues relevant to this opinion to be more satisfactorily addressed.' As an example, EFSA states that information is limited on the immunological competence of clones and recommends that, should evidence become available of reduced immunocompetence of clones, the question should be investigated as to 'whether, and if so, to what extent, consumption of meat and milk derived from clones or their offspring may lead to an increased human exposure to transmissible agents'1a. __________________ 1a http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/ doc/767.pdf
Amendment 50 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2 b (new)
Recital 2 b (new)
Amendment 81 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) The majority of Union citizens disapprove of cloning for farming purposes due to, inter alia, animal welfare and general ethical concerns1a. Cloning for farming purposes could lead to animal clones or the descendants of animal clones entering the food chain. Consumers do not want to consume food from animal clones or from their descendants. __________________ 1aSee e.g. Eurobarometer reports of 2008 and 2010: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/f l_238_en.pdf and http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archiv es/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf
Amendment 84 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 b (new)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4b) The prohibition of the cloning of animals, of the placing on the market of animal clones, embryo clones, descendants of animal clones, germinal products of animal clones and of their descendants, and of the placing on the market of food from animal clones and their descendants is a measure that is necessary in order to protect public morals and animal health, within the meaning of Article XX of GATT.
Amendment 88 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 c (new)
Recital 4 c (new)
Amendment 125 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 a (new)
Article 1 a (new)
Amendment 127 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) animals “kept and reproduced for farming purposes” ("the animals") means animals kept and reproduced for the production of food, wool, skin or fur or for other farming purposes, such as the preservation of rare breeds. It shall not include animals kept and reproduced exclusively for other purposes such as research, the production of medicinal products and medical devices, the preservation of rare breeds or endangered species, sporting and cultural eventresearch purposes;
Amendment 130 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) “cloning” means asexual reproduction of animals with a technique whereby the nucleus of a cell of an individual animal is transferred into an oocyte from which the nucleus has been removed to create genetically identical individual embryos (‘embryo clones’), that can subsequently be implanted into surrogate mothers in order to produce populations of genetically identical animals (‘animal clone’)aimed at producing a genetically identical or nearly identical copy of an individual animal;
Amendment 132 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) ‘embryo clones’ means genetically identical individual embryos;
Amendment 133 #
2013/0433(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
(bb) ‘animal clones’ means genetically identical animals;
Amendment 50 #
2013/0239(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006
Article 26 – paragraph 4
Article 26 – paragraph 4
(1a) Article 26, paragraph 4 is replaced by the following: '4. Subject to the agreement of the competent authorities concerned and of the notifier, the information and documents listed in paragraph 1 may be submitted and exchanged by means of electronic data interchange with electronic signature or electronic authentication in accordance with Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on a Community framework for electronic signatures*, or a comparable electronic authentication system which provides the same level of security. In such cases, organisational arrangements concerning the flow of electronic data interchange may be made. _____________ * As soon as the technical and organisational requirements for the practical implementation of the electronic data interchange have been adopted pursuant to Article 26(5), the information and documents listed in paragraph 1 shall be submitted and exchanged by means of electronic data interchange with electronic signature or electronic authentication in accordance with Directive 1999/93/EC, or a comparable electronic authentication system which provides the same level of security. _______________ * OJ L 13, 19.1.2000, p. 12. Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on a Community framework for electronic signatures (OJ L 13, 19.1.2000, p. 12.)'
Amendment 52 #
2013/0239(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006
Article 26 – paragraph 5
Article 26 – paragraph 5
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 59 concerning technical and organisational requirements for the practical implementation of electronic data interchange for the submission of documents and information. no later than ... *. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 59 concerning the update of these technical and organisational requirements. __________ * OJ: Please insert the date: 18 months after the entry into force of this Regulation
Amendment 79 #
2013/0239(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3 – point c
Article 1 – point 3 – point c
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006
Article 50 – paragraph 4 b
Article 50 – paragraph 4 b
4b. In order to ascertain that a shipment is destined for recovery operations which are in accordance with Article 49, the competent authority may in cases of a suspected illegal shipment require the person in charge of the shipment to submit a contract, letter or other document signed by the recovery facility specifying the waste treatment methods, technologies and standards applied by the recovery facility in the country of destination.'
Amendment 86 #
2013/0239(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3 – point c a (new)
Article 1 – point 3 – point c a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006
Article 50 – paragraph 5
Article 50 – paragraph 5
(ca) paragraph 5 is replaced by the following: '5. Member States shall cooperate, bilaterally orand multilaterally, with one another in order to facilitate the prevention and detection of illegal shipments.' They shall exchange information on waste shipments, waste flows, operators and facilities and share experience and knowledge on enforcement measures, including the names of illegal operators, establishments and undertakings. The Commission shall create a common platform that includes all Member States for these purposes.' (Replaces amendment 27 by the rapporteur.)
Amendment 88 #
2013/0239(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 4 a (new)
Article 1 – point 4 a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006
Annex IX – table 5 – column 7 a (new)
Annex IX – table 5 – column 7 a (new)
(4 a) In Annex IX, Table 5, the following new column shall be inserted before the last column: 'Name and address of the legal person responsible for the illegality'
Amendment 89 #
2013/0239(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 4 b (new)
Article 1 – point 4 b (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006
Annex IX – table – row 9 – column 2
Annex IX – table – row 9 – column 2
Amendment 18 #
2013/0234(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) to ensure the availability of electronic components and systems for key markets and for addressing societal challenges, including climate change aiming at keeping Europe at the forefront of technology development, bridging the gap between research and exploitation, strengthening innovation capabilities and creating economic and employment growth in the Union;
Amendment 21 #
2013/0234(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) to provide access for all stakeholders including civil society to a world-class infrastructure for the design and manufacture of electronic components and embedded/cyber-physical and smart systems;
Amendment 22 #
2013/0234(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) to build a dynamic ecosystem involving innovative Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and not for profit organisations, strengthening existing clusters and nurturing the creation of new clusters in promising new areas.
Amendment 46 #
2013/0234(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex – section 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Annex – section 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Governing Board, from a list of candidates proposed by the Commission after consultation of the relevant committees of the European parliament, following an open and transparent selection procedure. The Commission shall associate the representation from the other members of the ECSEL Joint Undertaking in the selection procedure as appropriate.
Amendment 28 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) In order to respect developing country ownership, all EIB investments should be aligned to country owned development strategies. Against this background, in order to enhance the coherence and the focus of the EIB external financing activity on supporting Union policies, and for the maximum benefit of beneficiaries, Decision No 1080/2011/EU set out general objectives for EIB financing operations across all eligible regions and countries, i.e. local private sector development, in particular in support of small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs), social and economic infrastructure and climate change mitigation and adaptation, building on the comparative strengths of the EIB in areas where it has a well-proven track record. These objectives should be maintained in this Decision.
Amendment 29 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Improving access to financing for SMEs, including SMEs from the Union investing in the regions covered by this Decision, can play an essential role in stimulating economic development and in combating unemployment. ITo ensure that investments in the private sector have the greatest development impact, they should be targeted towards domestic entreprises owned and domiciled with developing countries. To this end, in order to effectively reach out to SMEs, the EIB should cooperate with local financial intermediary institutions in the eligible countries, in particular to ensure that part of the financial benefits is passed on to their clients and provide added value compared to other sources of finance. The reliance on financial intermediaries must be complemented by increased transparency to ensure that they are engaging in programmes with clear development impacts. In particular, the EIB should work with financial intermediaries that have substantial local ownership, and ensure that the projects financed through intermediaries support sustainable development and that the operations are done in a transparent manner. The EIB should also ensure that financing to the private sector goes where it is most needed, taking into account the priorities of the partner countries.
Amendment 30 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11 a) When operating under the Community guarantee, the EIB should only cooperate with financial intermediaries not operating in offshore financial centres, which have substantial local ownership and are equipped to implement a pro-development approach supporting the specificity of SMEs in the countries of operation.
Amendment 31 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 11 b (new)
Recital 11 b (new)
(11 b) The EIB shall not cooperate with financial intermediaries with negative track record in terms of transparency, fraud, corruption and environmental and social impacts. A stringent list of criteria for selection of financial intermediaries shall be established by the EIB jointly with the European Commission and be publicly available.
Amendment 33 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The EIB should also continue to finance investment projects in support of climate change mitigation and adaptation, to further the promotion of the Union's climate goals on a global scale. To this end, priority should be given to small- scale, off-grid decentralised renewable energy projects, to ensure energy access to rural areas, while avoiding potential negative social and environmental impact of large-scale energy infrastructure.
Amendment 35 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Union external relations should be supported by new instruments from 2014, including an umbrella Regulation establishing common rules and procedures for the implementation of the Union's instruments for external action. With a view to enhancing the coherence of overall Union support in the regions concerned, and provided that blending activities have a clear sustainable development impact, that can be effectively monitored, opportunities should be seized to combine EIB financing with Union budgetary resources when and as appropriate, in the form of financial instruments provided for in Title VIII of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 and technical assistance for project preparation and implementation, through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance II (IPA II), the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), the Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries, the Instrument for the promotion of Democracy and Human Rights worldwide, the Instrument for Stability, and the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation. Following Decision No 1080/2011/EU, the Commission established an EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation with a view to optimising the functioning of mechanisms for the blending of grants and loans outside the Union.
Amendment 36 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) IThe mechanism of blending loans and grants must be evaluated particularly in terms of development and financial additionality, transparency and accountability, local ownership and debt risk. Provided that it has a clear sustainable development impact, the EIB should, in its financing operations outside the Union that fall within the scope of this Decision, the EIB should endeavour further to enhance coordination and cooperation with European Financial Institutions and International Financial Institutions, notably those participating in the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation. This cooperation includes, where appropriate, cooperation on sector conditionality and mutual reliance on procedures, use of joint co-financing and participation in global initiatives, such as those promoting aid coordination and effectiveness. Such coordination and cooperation should strive to minimise possible duplication of costs and unnecessary overlap. The tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the Commission, the EIB Group and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in respect of cooperation outside the Union, which allows the EIB Group and the EBRD to act in a complementary way by relying on their respective comparative advantages, was updated in 2012 to cover the extension of EBRD's geographical scope to the Mediterranean region and should continue to be applied. The principles set out in this Decision should also be applied when EIB financing is implemented through cooperation agreements with other European Financial Institutions and International Financial Institutions, including regarding consistency with Union's development objectives, aid effectiveness principles, transparency and democratic scrutiny.
Amendment 38 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 a (new)
Article 1 a (new)
Article 1 a EIB financing operations implemented through the Union guarantee granted to the EIB in developing countries, shall have as primary objective the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty. In particular, EIB financing operations shall be consistent with: - EU commitments and obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as well as the attainment of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); - social, labour and environmental standards as embodied in international agreements.
Amendment 40 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 5
Article 3 – paragraph 5
5. EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(a) mayTo ensure that investments in the private sector have the greatest development impact, EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(a) shall target domestic companies owned and domiciled within developing countries whenever possible, but may also include support to investment projects by SMEs from the Union.
Amendment 41 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 6
Article 3 – paragraph 6
6. EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(b) shall support investment projects in the areas of transport, energy, including decentralised off-grid renewable energy, energy systems transformation enabling a switch to lower carbon intensive technologies and fuels, energy security and energy infrastructure, including for gas production and transportation to EU energy market, environmental infrastructure, including water and sanitation and green infrastructure, information and communication technology, including telecommunications and broadband network infrastructure, health and education. Compliance with the provisions of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters should be ensured by the EIB at the different relevant stages of projects.
Amendment 42 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 7
Article 3 – paragraph 7
7. EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(c) shall support investment projects in climate change mitigation and adaptation which contribute to the overall objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular by avoiding or reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport, or by increasing resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change on vulnerable countries, sectors and communities. To this end, an analysis of the carbon footprint ought to be included in the environmental assessment procedure to determine whether project proposals maximize energy-efficiency improvements. Over the period covered by the Decision, the volume of these operations shall represent at least 25% of total EIB financing operations.
Amendment 43 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 12 a (new)
Article 12 a (new)
Article 12 a In its financial operations, the EIB must ensure that all companies and financial institutions involved in the transaction disclose information regarding beneficial ownership of any legal structure directly or indirectly related to the company, including trusts, foundations and bank accounts.
Amendment 44 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 12 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 1 a (new)
In order to be eligible for EIB financing and investment, all companies and financial institutions involved in the transaction must disclose reliable annual information related to sales, employees, profits made and taxes paid in the country.
Amendment 45 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 16 – paragraph 1
Article 16 – paragraph 1
1. The EIB shall inform OLAF immediately when, at any stage of the preparation, implementation or closure of projects subject to the EU guarantee, it detects a potential case of fraud, corruption or other illegal activity that may affect the financial interests of the EU. In such cases, the disbursement of loans should be immediately suspended until OLAF investigation findings are available. Where corruption is proven, the EIB shall assist asset recovery efforts by disclosing to the relevant authorities any assets held by the EIB that relate to such corruption or that derive from it.
Amendment 48 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 16 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The contracts signed in relation to projects subject to the EU guarantee shall include stringent clauses enabling the suspension of financing support from the EIB to project's promoters and financial intermediaries where fraud, corruption or other illegal activity are under formal investigation, and its cancellation in the event of such illegal activity being proven.
Amendment 60 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Title
Title
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health, plant reproductive material, plant protection products and amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, 1829/2003, 1831/2003, 1/2005, 396/2005, 834/2007, 1099/2009, 1069/2009, 1107/2009, Regulations (EU) No 1151/2012, [….]/2013 [Office of Publications, please insert number of Regulation laying down provisions for the management of expenditure relating to the food chain, animal health and animal welfare, and relating to plant health and plant reproductive material], and Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC, 2008/120/EC and 2009/128/EC (Official controls Regulation) (Text with EEA relevance) (This amendment shall apply throughout the whole text Recitals should also be adapted.)
Amendment 65 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
Amendment 67 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
Amendment 69 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) There are a number of provisions in Union agri-food chain legislation, the enforcement of which has not, or has only partially, been governed by Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. In particular, specific official control rules were kept in place in Union legislation on plant reproductive material and in Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by- products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/200212. Plant health also largely falls outside the scope of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 with certain rules on official controls being laid down in Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community13 . __________________ 12 OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 1. 13 OJ L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1.
Amendment 75 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) For the performance of official controls aimed at verifying the correct application of Union agri-food chain legislation, and of the other official activities entrusted to Member State authorities by Union agri-food chain legislation, Member States should designate competent authorities which act in the public interest, are appropriately resourced and equipped, and offer guarantees of independence, impartiality and professionalism. Competent authorities should ensure the quality, consistency and effectiveness of official controls.
Amendment 80 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) The competent authorities act in the interest of operators and of the general public ensuring that the high standards of protection established by Union agri-food chain legislation are consistently preserved and protected through appropriate enforcement action, and that compliance with such rules is ascertained across the entire agri-food chain through official controls. The competent authorities should therefore be accountable to the operators and to the general public for the efficiency and effectiveness of the official controls they perform. They should provide access to information concerning the organisation and performance of official controls and other official activities, and regularly publish information concerning official controls and the results therefrom. Competent authorities should also, subject to certain conditions, be entitled to publish or to make available information about the rating of individual operators based on the outcome of official controls.
Amendment 115 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) governing food, food safety and food safequality, at any stage of production, the processing and distribution of food, including rules aimed at guaranteeing fair practices in trade and protecting consumer interests and information, and the manufacture and use of materials and articles intended to come into contact with food;
Amendment 128 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point g
Amendment 132 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point h
Amendment 157 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
Amendment 161 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Amendment 164 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 14
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 14
Amendment 170 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16
Amendment 174 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 19
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 19
Amendment 176 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20
Amendment 193 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 33
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 33
33. ‘hazard’ means any agent or condition with the potential to have an adverse effect on human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or the environment;
Amendment 197 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 38
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 38
38. ‘delegated body’ means an independent third party, to which the competent authorities have delegated specific official control tasks;
Amendment 203 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 44
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 44
Amendment 230 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 5
Article 3 – paragraph 5
5. Member States may confer to the competent authorities referred to in paragraph 1 the responsibility to carry out controls for the verification of compliance with, or for the application of, rules, including those regulating specific risks which may arise from the presence of alien species in the Union, other than those referred to in Article 1(2).
Amendment 234 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 6
Article 3 – paragraph 6
6. The Commission may, by means of implementing acts, determine the means by which the information referred to in paragraph 4 is to be made available to the public. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 141(2). The means by which the information referred to in paragraph 4 is to be made available to the public shall in any case include publication on the internet.
Amendment 237 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) have arrangements in place to ensure the independence, impartiality, quality and consistency of official controls and other official activities at all levels;
Amendment 239 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) have arrangements in place to ensure that staff performing official controls and other official activities are free from any conflict of interest and in no way connected to or dependant on the operator they control;
Amendment 288 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iv
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iv
(iv) the use of products, processes, materials or substances that may influence food or feed safety, animal health or animal welfare, plant health or plant reproductive material identity and quality, or, in the case of GMOs and plant protection products, may adversely impact on the environment;
Amendment 295 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
(ca) consumer expectations regarding nature, quality and composition of foods and goods;
Amendment 301 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 4 – point a
Amendment 305 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4 – point b
Article 8 – paragraph 4 – point b
(b) the operator has requested such official controls. Such announced controls cannot replace standard controls without prior warning.
Amendment 314 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 7
Article 8 – paragraph 7
7. To the extent strictly necessary for the organisation of the official controls, Member States of destination may require operators who have animals or goods delivered to them from another Member State to report the arrival of such animals or goods.
Amendment 344 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. To ensure the uniform implementation of the rules provided for in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, lay down and update as necessary the format in which the information referred to in that paragraph shall be published. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 141(2). The format shall in any case include publication on the internet.
Amendment 349 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 10 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. Competent authorities shall be entitled to publish or make otherwise available to the publicpublish information about the rating of individual operators based on the outcome of official controls, provided thatcomplying with the following conditions are met:
Amendment 368 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Official controls shall include the following, as appropriate:
Amendment 373 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i
(i) primary producers' installations and other businesses, including their surroundings, premises, offices, equipment, installations and machinery, transport and their animals and goods, including materials and articles intended to come into contact with food;
Amendment 387 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) their documents and any other relevant information, including the results of potential own tests. Every operator shall be able to indicate at least each operator he is supplied by and each operator he is supplying.
Amendment 397 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the verification, by or under the responsibility of an official veterinarian, of the health and welfare of the animals prior to the slaughter;
Amendment 400 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b – introductory part
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b – introductory part
(b) official controls, by or under the responsibility of an official veterinarian, in slaughterhouses, cutting and processing plants and game handling establishments, to verify compliance with the requirements applicable to:
Amendment 402 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i
(i) the safety and hygiene of meat production;
Amendment 408 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iv a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iv a (new)
(iva) consumer expectations as regards nature, quality, and composition of the food or good.
Amendment 422 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning specific rules for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption and on animals intended for the production of such products to verify compliance with the rules referred to in points (a), (c), (d) and (e) of Article 1(2) applicable to those products and animals, and on action to be taken by the competent authorities following official controls. Those delegated actislative proposals shall lay down rules on:
Amendment 432 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Amendment 438 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Amendment 440 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The Commission shall take into account the following when adopting delegated actislative proposals as provided for in paragraph 2:
Amendment 443 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
(da) the likelihood of fraudulent practices.
Amendment 444 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
Article 15 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
4. Insofar as this does not prevent the achievement of the objectives of human health and animal health pursued by the rules referred to in points (a), (c), (d) and (e) of Article 1(2), applicable to products of animal origin intended for human consumption and to animals intended for the production of such products, the Commission shall also take into account the following elements, when adopting delegated actislative proposals as provided for in paragraph 2:
Amendment 446 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 16 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning rules on official controls performed to verify compliance with the rules referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2) applicable to certain substances whose use on crops or animals or to produce or process food or feed may result in residues of those substances in food or feed, and on action to be taken by the competent authorities following official controls. Those delegated actislative proposals shall take account of the need to ensure a minimum level of official controls to prevent the use of those substances in violation of the rules referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2), and lay down rules on:
Amendment 452 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning rules for the performance of official controls on animals, on products of animal origin, on germinal products, on animal by- products and on derived products to verify compliance with the Union rules referred to in points (d) and (e) of Article 1(2) and on action to be taken by the competent authorities following official controls. Those delegated actsislative proposal shall take account of animal health risks related to animals, products of animal origin and germinal products, and of human and animal health risks related to animal by- products and derived products, and lay down rules on:
Amendment 466 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 18 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning rules for the performance of official controls to verify compliance with Union rules referred to in point (f) of Article 1(2). Those delegated actislative proposals shall take into account the animal welfare risk related to the farming activities and to the transport, slaughter and killing of animals, and shall lay down rules on:
Amendment 472 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19
Article 19
Amendment 477 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20
Article 20
Amendment 482 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning rules for the performance of official controls on GMOs and genetically modified food and feed performed to verify compliance with the rules referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of Article 1(2) and on action to be taken by the competent authorities following such official controls. Those delegated actislative proposals shall take into account the need to ensure a minimum level of official controls to prevent practices in violation with those rules, and lay down rules on:
Amendment 486 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
(ii) the cultivation of GMOs and the correct application of the monitoring plan referred to in point (e) of Article 13(2) of Directive 2001/18/EC and in Articles 5(5) and 17(5) of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003, including minimum measures for monitoring and surveillance of potential effects on health, animal health and the environment;
Amendment 487 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii a (new)
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii a (new)
(iiia) minimum measures as regards controls and reporting which aim at avoiding the unintended presence of GMOs, in accordance with Article 26a of Directive 2001/18
Amendment 488 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 21 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Member States can always establish stricter measures than the ones referred to in paragraph 1.
Amendment 490 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning rules for the performance of official controls to verify compliance with the rules referred to in Article 1(2)(i).
Amendment 491 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Those delegated actislative proposals shall take into account the risks that plant protection products may represent for human health, animal health or the environment, and shall lay down rules on:
Amendment 500 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning rules for the performance of official controls to verify compliance with the rules referred to in points (j) and (k) of Article 1(2) and on action to be taken by the competent authorities following such official controls.
Amendment 501 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. In relation to the rules referred to in point (j) of Article 1(2), the delegated acts referred to in paragraph 1The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 27 (2) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, to verify compliance with the rules referred to in point (j) of Article 1(2) and on action to be taken by the competent authorities following such official controls. Those delegated acts shall lay down rules on:
Amendment 506 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 23 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. In relation to the rules referred to in point (k) of Article 1(2), the delegated actislative proposals referred to in paragraph 1 shall lay down rules on:
Amendment 507 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 4
Article 23 – paragraph 4
4. Where appropriate, the delegated acts referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 shall derogate from the provisions of this Regulation referred to in those paragraphs.
Amendment 509 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139islative proposals concerning specific rules on official controls performed on certain categories of food or feed to verify compliance with the rules referred to in points (a) to (e) of Article 1(2) and on action to be taken by the competent authorities following such official controls. Those delegated actislative proposals shall address newly identified risks which may be posed through food or feed to human or animal health or, in relation to GMOs and plant protection products to the environment, or any such risks emerging from new patterns of production or consumption of food or feed, or which cannot be effectively addressed in the absence of common specifications for the official controls and for the action to be taken by the competent authorities following such official controls, and shall lay down rules on:
Amendment 517 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Competent authorities shall not delegate the decision concerning the measures provided for in point (b) of Article 135(1) and in Article 135 (2) and (3). Tasks concerning animals and products of animal origin shall neither be delegated, but always conducted by an official veterinarian.
Amendment 522 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 3
Article 25 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139 establishing specific official control tasks that may and may not be delegated in order to preserve the independence or the core functions of the competent authorities.
Amendment 528 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
(iii) is independent, impartial and free from any conflict of interest as regards the exercise of the specific official control tasks delegated to it; (The AM applies throughout the whole text. Recitals should also be adapted.)
Amendment 530 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) organise periodical and unannounced audits or inspections of such bodies or persons as necessary;
Amendment 547 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 33 – paragraph 6 a (new)
Article 33 – paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. As regards GMOs, methods have to be developed and mandatorily established aimed at: - identifying and tracing stacked events in the market; - providing data on residues that stem from treatments with complementary herbicides; - providing data on the expression and content of components, such as additional proteins being expressed in the plants.
Amendment 548 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 33 – paragraph 6 b (new)
Article 33 – paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. As regards products of animal origin, methods have to be developed and mandatorily established aimed at identifying and tracing breeding material from cloned animals as well as descendants from cloned animals and products derived thereof.
Amendment 549 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 33 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 33 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 1 does not apply with regard to rules referring to the areas laid down in Article 2 (1) (g) and (h).
Amendment 555 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 34 – paragraph 2
Article 34 – paragraph 2
2. The application by the operator for a second expert opinion in accordance with paragraph 1 shall not affect the obligation of competent authorities to take prompt action to eliminate or contain the risks to human, and animal and plant health, or for animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, for the environment, in accordance with the rules referred to in Article 1(2) and with this Regulation. (This amendment applies throughout the whole text. Recitals should also be adopted accordingly.)
Amendment 559 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 4 – point c
Article 36 – paragraph 4 – point c
(c) is independent, impartial and free from any conflict of interest as regards the exercise of its tasks as official laboratory;
Amendment 570 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 39 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 39 – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 571 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 41 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 41 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) in cases where the need for the use of the method results from an emergency situation or an emerging risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment.
Amendment 574 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 42 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point a
Article 42 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point a
(a) the risks to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment, associated with different types of animals and goods;
Amendment 575 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 42 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 42 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point a a (new)
(aa) the likelihood of fraudulent practices which might deceive consumer expectation regarding nature, quality and composition of foods and goods;
Amendment 576 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 42 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point d
Article 42 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point d
(d) the guarantees that the competent authorities of the third country of origin has given with regard to compliance of the animals and goods with the requirements established by the rules referred to in Article 1(2) or with requirements recognised to be at least equivalent thereto.
Amendment 577 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 42 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 42 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The competent authorities at border control posts and other points of entry into the Union shall perform official controls on the following whenever they have reason to believe that their entry into the Union may pose a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment:
Amendment 579 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 43 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 43 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) include identity and physical checks depending on the risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment to the environment, and depending on the likelihood of fraudulent practices which might deceive consumer expectations regarding nature, quality and composition of foods and goods.
Amendment 585 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 45 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 45 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) products of animal origin, foods that contain products of animal origin, germinal products and animal by-products;
Amendment 588 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 45 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 45 – paragraph 1 – point c
Amendment 590 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 45 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 45 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) animals and goods which are subject to an emergency measure provided for in acts adopted in accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Article 249 of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on animal health], or Articles 27(1), 29(1), 40(2), 41(2), 47(1), 49(2) and 50(2) of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on protective measures against pests of plants] requiring consignments of those animals or goods, identified by means of their codes from the Combined Nomenclature, to be subject to official controls at their entry into the Union;
Amendment 593 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 45 – paragraph 3
Article 45 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139 concerning amendments of the categories of consignments referred to in paragraph 1, to include other products which may give rise to risks to human, or animal or plant health or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products,health or to the environment.
Amendment 597 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 47 – paragraph 3
Article 47 – paragraph 3
3. Physical checks shall be performed on consignments of the categories of animals and goods referred to in Article 45(1) at a frequency dependent on the risk posed by each animal, good or category of animals or goods to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment.
Amendment 599 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 47 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 47 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Physical checks to verify compliance with animal health and welfare requirements or with plant health requirements laid down in the rules referred to in Article 1(2) shall be performed by, or under the supervision of, staff possessing appropriate qualifications in veterinary or phytosanitary matters respectively, designated by the competent authorities for that purpose.
Amendment 602 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 47 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 47 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Where such checks are performed on animals they shall be carried out by an official veterinarian or under his supervision.
Amendment 618 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 53 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 53 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Decisions taken following a physical check to verify compliance with animal health and welfare requirements or with plant health requirements shall be taken by staff possessing appropriate qualifications in veterinary or phytosanitary matters respectively, and designated by the competent authorities for that purpose.
Amendment 620 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 53 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 53 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Decisions on consignments of animals shall be taken by an official veterinarian or under his supervision.
Amendment 639 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 61 – paragraph 1
Article 61 – paragraph 1
1. A Member State shall immediately suspend the designation of a border control post and order its activities to be stopped, for all or for certain categories of animals and goods for which the designation was made, in cases where such activities may result in a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment.
Amendment 647 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 63 – paragraph 4
Article 63 – paragraph 4
4. Where the competent authorities have reasons to suspect fraudulent behaviour by an operator or official controls give grounds to believe that the rules referred to in Article 1(2) have been seriously or repeatedly infringed, they shall, where appropriate, and in addition to the measures provided for in Article 64(3), intensify official controls on consignments with the same origin or use as appropriate.
Amendment 660 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 65 – paragraph 1
Article 65 – paragraph 1
Where official controls indicate that a consignment of animals or goods presents a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment, such consignment shall be isolated or quarantined and animals belonging to it shall be kept and treated under appropriate conditions pending any further decision.
Amendment 663 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 65 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 65 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) order that the operator destroy the consignment in compliance, where appropriate, with the rules referred to in Article 1(2), taking all the measures necessary to protect human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or the environment; or
Amendment 668 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 66 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 66 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The competent authorities in the Member State where the official controls were performed shall supervise the application of the measures ordered pursuant to Article 64(3) and (5) and Article 65 to ensure that the consignment does not give rise to adverse effects on human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare, or the environment, during or pending the application of those measures.
Amendment 672 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 67 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 67 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) in the cases referred to in Article 65, that the consignment be destroyed in suitable facilities located as close as possible to the border control post, taking all measures necessary to protect human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or the environment.
Amendment 674 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 67 – paragraph 3
Article 67 – paragraph 3
3. The competent authorities may extend the period referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article for the time necessary to obtain the results of the second expert opinion referred to in Article 34, provided that this is without adverse effects to human, and animal and plant health, animal welfare and, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment.
Amendment 677 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 69 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 69 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) be carried out effectively and ensure the elimination of any risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment;
Amendment 681 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 70 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 70 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Member States receiving imports which have been authorised by pre- export-controls shall regularly check if the imports actually comply with EU requirements.
Amendment 683 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 71 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 71 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) the consignments of the animals or goods exported to the Union meet the requirements of the rules referred to in Article 1(2), or equivalent requirements;
Amendment 687 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 74 – paragraph 2
Article 74 – paragraph 2
2. Customs authorities shall suspend release for free circulation when they have reason to believe that the consignment may present a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment and immediately notify the competent authorities of such suspension.
Amendment 689 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 74 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
Article 74 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
4. Where the competent authorities consider that a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment, is present:
Amendment 691 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 74 – paragraph 5
Article 74 – paragraph 5
5. In the case of consignments of animals and goods other than those subject to controls at entry into the Union as required by Article 45(1) and for which no customs declaration for release for free circulation has been made, customs authorities, where they have reason to believe that the consignment may present a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment, shall transmit all relevant information to the customs authorities in the Member States of final destination.
Amendment 694 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 75 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 75 – paragraph 1 – point d
Amendment 714 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 76 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 76 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Member States shall ensure that no direct links or dependencies exist between the fees collected and the controls performed.
Amendment 731 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
Amendment 734 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iv
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iv
Amendment 736 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point c – point ii
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point c – point ii
Amendment 738 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point c – point iii
Article 77 – paragraph 1 – point c – point iii
Amendment 741 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 77 – paragraph 2
Article 77 – paragraph 2
2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the official controls referred to in point (a) of that paragraph shall include official controls performed to verify compliance with measures adopted by the Commission in accordance with Article 137 of this Regulation, Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Articles 27(1), 29(1), 40(2), 41(2), 47(1), 49(2) and 50(2) of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on protective measures against pests of plants], Articles 41 and 144 of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on the production and making available on the market of plant reproductive material] and Part VI of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on animal health], unless the decision establishing the measures requires otherwise.
Amendment 745 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 77 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 77 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) the official controls referred to in point (a) of that paragraph shall not include official controls performed to verify compliance with temporary restrictions, requirements or other disease control measures adopted by the competent authorities in accordance with Articles 55(1), 56, 61, 62, 64, 65, 68(1) and 69, and rules adopted pursuant to Articles 55(2), 63, 67 and 68(2) of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on animal health] and Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on protective measures against pests of plants];
Amendment 851 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 85 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 85 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. As regards animals and products of animal origin, official certificates and official attestations can only be signed and issued by an official veterinarian.
Amendment 855 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 87 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 87 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) be free from conflict of interest in relation to what is being certified and act independently and impartially;
Amendment 858 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 90 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 90 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) are independent, impartial and free from any conflict of interest in relation to what is being certified by the official attestations;
Amendment 863 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 91 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 91 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) be independent, impartial and free of conflict of interests as regards the exercise of its tasks as European Union reference laboratories;
Amendment 869 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 92 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 92 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) assisting actively in the diagnosis of outbreaks in Member States of foodborne, zoonotic or animal diseases, or of pests of plants, by carrying out confirmatory diagnosis, characterisation and taxonomic or epizootic studies on pathogen isolates or pest specimens;
Amendment 872 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 92 – paragraph 2 – point j – point i
Article 92 – paragraph 2 – point j – point i
(i) reference collections of pests of plants or reference strains of pathogenic agents;
Amendment 875 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 93
Article 93
Amendment 878 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 94
Article 94
Amendment 895 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 97 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 97 – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 897 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 97 – paragraph 2
Article 97 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 139 concerning the establishment of requirements, responsibilities and tasks for the European Union reference laboratories, the European Union reference centres for plant reproductive material and the European Union reference centres for animal welfare in addition to those laid down in Articles 91(3), 92, 93(3), 95(3) and 96.
Amendment 900 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 98 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 98 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) be independent, impartial and free of conflict of interests as regards the exercise of its tasks as national reference laboratories;
Amendment 914 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 104 – paragraph 1
Article 104 – paragraph 1
1. Where, during official controls performed on animals or goods originating in another Member State, the competent authorities establish that such animals or goods do not comply with the rules referred to in Article 1(2) in such a way as to create a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment, or to constitute a serious infringement of those rules, they shall, without delay, notify the competent authorities of the Member State of dispatch and of any other concerned Member State in order to enable them to undertake appropriate investigations.
Amendment 920 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 105 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 105 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. When competent authorities receive information from a third country indicating non-compliance or a risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment, they shall, without delay:
Amendment 922 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 105 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 105 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) the third country has undertaken to provide the assistance necessary to gather evidence of practices that are or appear to be non-compliant with Union rules or that pose a risk to humans, animals or plants or the environment;
Amendment 935 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 109 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 109 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the emergence of new diseases, pests of plants or other risks to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, in the case of GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment;
Amendment 947 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 112 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 112 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) the type and number of cases of non- compliance with the rules referred to in Article 1(2) detected in the previous year by the competent authorities, specified per sector, and in an adequate level of detailedness;
Amendment 952 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 113 – paragraph 2
Article 113 – paragraph 2
2. The annual report provided for in paragraph 1 may, where appropriate,shall include recommendations on possible improvements to official control systems in Member States and specific official controls in certain areas.
Amendment 955 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 116 – paragraph 2
Article 116 – paragraph 2
2. Where appropriate, tThe Commission mayshall recommend in its final reports provided for in paragraph 1 corrective or preventive action to be taken by the Member States to address the specific or systemic shortcomings identified by its experts during controls performed in accordance with Article 115(1).
Amendment 959 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 119 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 119 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Commission experts mayshall regularly, at frequencies not less than for Commission controls in Member States, perform controls in third countries in order to:
Amendment 960 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 119 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 119 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) verify the compliance or equivalence of third-country legislation and systems, including official certification and the issuance of official certificates, official labels, official marks and other official attestations, with the requirements laid down in the rules referred to in Article 1(2);
Amendment 961 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 119 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 119 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) verify the capacity ofat the third country's control system to ensures that consignments of animals and goods exported to the Union comply with relevant requirements established by the rules referred to in Article 1(2) or with requirements recognised to be at least equivalent thereto;
Amendment 962 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 119 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 119 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) where applicable, the situation regarding animal health, zoonoses and plant health, and procedures for notifying the Commission and relevant international bodies of outbreaks of animal diseases and pests of plants;
Amendment 966 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 119 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 119 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) the extent and operation of official controls performed on animals, plants and their products arriving from other third countries;
Amendment 967 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 119 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 119 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) the assurances which the third country can give regarding compliance with, or equivalence to, the requirements laid down in the rules referred to in Article 1(2).
Amendment 969 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 120 – paragraph 1 – point g – point iv
Article 120 – paragraph 1 – point g – point iv
Amendment 972 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 120 – paragraph 1 – point g – point v
Article 120 – paragraph 1 – point g – point v
Amendment 974 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 120 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
Article 120 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
(ha) the likelihood of fraudulent practices which might deceive consumer expectations regarding nature, quality and composition of foods and goods;
Amendment 977 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. The Commission shall request third countries intending to export animals and goods to the Union to provide the following accurate and up-to-date information on the general organisation and management of sanitary and phytosanitary control systems in their territory:
Amendment 979 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) any sanitary or phytosanitary regulations adopted or proposed within their territory;
Amendment 981 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) risk-assessment procedures and factors taken into consideration for the assessment of risks and for the determination of the appropriate level of sanitary or phytosanitary protection;
Amendment 983 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point f
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point f
(f) where relevaexistent, results of official controls performed on animals and goods intended to be exported to the Union;
Amendment 984 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 124 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) where relevant, information on changes made to the structure and functioning of control systems adopted to meet Union sanitary or phytosanitary requirements or recommendations provided for in the second paragraph of Article 121.
Amendment 986 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 125 – paragraph 1
Article 125 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 139 concerning the conditions to be respected by animals and goods entering the Union from third countries where these are necessary to ensure that the animals and goods comply with the relevant requirements established by the rules referred to in Article 1(2), with the exception of points (d), (e), (g) and (h) of Article 1(2) and of Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, or with requirements recognised to be at least equivalent.
Amendment 987 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 125 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 125 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) the requirement that consignments of certain animals and goods from third countries be dispatched from and obtained or prepared in establishments which comply with the relevant requirements referred to in paragraph 1 or with requirements recognised to be at least equivalent;
Amendment 988 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 125 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 125 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) the requirement that consignments of certain animals and goods be accompanied by an official certificate, an official attestation, or by any other evidence that the consignments comply with the relevant requirements referred to in paragraph 1 or with requirements recognised to be at least equivalent;
Amendment 989 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 125 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 125 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) any other requirement necessary to ensure that certain animals and goods offer a level of protection of health and, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, of the environment, equivalent to that ensured bycomply with the requirements referred to in paragraph 1.
Amendment 990 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 126 – paragraph 2
Article 126 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall approve, by means of implementdelegated acts ing actscordance with Article 139, the request transmitted to it for that purpose by the third country concerned, accompanied by appropriate evidence and guarantees that the concerned animals and goods from that third country comply with the relevant requirements referred to in Article 125(1) or with requirements equivalent thereto. Those implementing acts shall be adopted and updated in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 141(2).
Amendment 991 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) the performance by the competent authorities of the third country of adequate official controls and other activities to assess the presence of hazards for human, or animal or plant health, for animal welfare or for the environment in relation to GMOs and plant protection products;
Amendment 993 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point d
(d) the regularity and rapidity of information supplied by the third country on the presence of hazards for human, or animal or plant health, for animal welfare or for the environment in relation to GMOs and plant protection products;
Amendment 995 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point e – point i
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point e – point i
(i) conditions applied to the establishments from which animals or goods are exported to the Union comply with the requirements that are equivalent to those referred to in Article 125(1);
Amendment 996 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point f
Article 126 – paragraph 3 – point f
(f) any other information or data on the capability of the third country to ensure that only animals or goods which offer the same or an equivalent level of protection as that afforded by the relevant requirements referred to in Article 125(1) enter the Union.
Amendment 997 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 127 – paragraph 1
Article 127 – paragraph 1
1. Where, in cases other than those referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Article 249 of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on animal health] and in Articles 27(1), 29(1), 40(2), 41(2), 47(1), 49(2) and 50(2) of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on protective measures against pests of plants], there is evidence that the entry into the Union of certain animals or goods originating from a third country, a region thereof or a group of third countries, may pose a risk to human, or animal or plant health or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products,health or to the environment, or where there is evidence that widespread serious non- compliance with the rules referred to in Article 1(2) might be taking place, the Commission shall adopt, by means of implementdelegated acts ing actscordance with Article 139, the measures necessary to contain such risk or put an end to the identified non-compliance. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 141(2).
Amendment 999 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 127 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 127 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) the requirement that consignments of the animals and goods referred to in paragraph 1 originating or dispatched from certain third countries or regions thereof, be accompanied by an official certificate, an official attestation, or by any other evidence that the consignment complies with requirements established by the rules referred to in Article 1(2) or with requirements recognised to be at least equivalent;
Amendment 1000 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 128
Article 128
Amendment 1010 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 130 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 130 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) integrate fully and provide the necessary updates to existing computerised systems managed by the Commission and used for the rapid exchange of data, information and documents in relation to risks to human, animal health and welfare, and plant health, as established by Article 50 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Article 20 of Regulation (EU) XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on animal health] and Article 97 of Regulation (EU) XXX/XXXX [Office of Publications, please insert number of the Regulation on protective measures against pests of plants]in relation to food fraud in general;
Amendment 1013 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 132 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 132 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 1015 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 134 – paragraph 1
Article 134 – paragraph 1
1. When acting in accordance with this Chapter, the competent authorities shall give priority to action to be taken to eliminate or contain risks to human, or animal and plant health, animal welfare and, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment to the environment. Given the increasing frequency of fraud in the food area, more emphasis shall be put on tackling practices which mislead consumers as to the nature or the quality of the food they purchase and consume.
Amendment 1028 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 136 – paragraph 2
Article 136 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall ensure that financial penalties applicable to intentional violations of the provisions of this Regulation and of the rules referred to in Article 1(2) at least offsetcorrespond to the double of the economic advantage sought through the violation.
Amendment 1032 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 136 a (new)
Article 136 a (new)
Amendment 1033 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 137 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 137 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Where the Commission has evidence of a serious failure in a Member State's control systems and such failure may constitute a possible and widespread risk to human, or animal or plant health, animal welfare or, as regards GMOs and plant protection products, to the environment, or to the environment, result in disappointing consumer expectations regarding nature, quality and composition of foods and goods or otherwise result in a widespread infringement of the rules referred to in Article 1(2), it shall, by means of implementing acts, adopt one or more of the following measures, to be applied until the failure in the control system is eliminated:
Amendment 1047 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 150 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 150 – paragraph 1 – point b
Regulation (EC) No 1/2005
Article 14, 15, 16, 21, 22(2), 23, 24, 26
Article 14, 15, 16, 21, 22(2), 23, 24, 26
(b) Articles 14, 15, 16, 21, 22(2), 23, 24 and 26 are deletshall continue to apply until the legislative proposals referred to in Article 18 are established;
Amendment 1048 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 151 – paragraph 2
Article 151 – paragraph 2
Regulation (EC) No 396/2005
Article 26, 27(1), 30
Article 26, 27(1), 30
2. Articles 26, 27(1) and 30 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 shall continue to apply until the date to be determined inof the application of the corresponding rules to be established pursuant to the delegated act adopted in accordance with paragraph 3islative proposals referred to in Article 16 of this Regulation.
Amendment 1049 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 151 – paragraph 3
Article 151 – paragraph 3
Regulation (EC) No 396/2005
Article 26, 27(1), 30
Article 26, 27(1), 30
Amendment 1050 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 153 – paragraph 1 – point c – point ii
Article 153 – paragraph 1 – point c – point ii
Regulation (EC) No 834/2007
Article 27 – paragraphs 3 to 14
Article 27 – paragraphs 3 to 14
(ii) paragraphs 23 to 14 are deleted;
Amendment 1052 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 153 – paragraph 2
Article 153 – paragraph 2
Regulation (EC) No 834/2007
Article 27, 30(2)
Article 27, 30(2)
2. Paragraphs 3 to 14 of Articles 27 and 30(2)paragraph 2 of Article 30 of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 shall continue to apply until the date to be determined in the delegated act to be adopted in accordance with paragraph 3.
Amendment 1054 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 159 – paragraph 2
Article 159 – paragraph 2
Directive 2009/128/EC
Article 8 and Annex II
Article 8 and Annex II
2. Paragraph 1, the second subparagraph of paragraph 2 and paragraphs 3, 4 and 6 of Article 8 and Annex II of Directive 2009/128/EC shall continue to apply until the date to be determined in the delegated act to be adopted in accordance with paragraph 3of the application of the corresponding rules to be established pursuant to the legislative proposlas referred to in Article 22 of this Regulation.
Amendment 1055 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 159 – paragraph 3
Article 159 – paragraph 3
Amendment 1056 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 161 – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
Article 161 – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
Regulation (EU) No [.…]/2013
Article 29 – paragraph 1
Article 29 – paragraph 1
Amendment 1059 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 161 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 161 – paragraph 1 – point b
Regulation (EU) No [.…]/2013
Article 29 a (new)
Article 29 a (new)
Amendment 1063 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 162 – paragraph 2
Article 162 – paragraph 2
Amendment 1064 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 162 – paragraph 3
Article 162 – paragraph 3
Amendment 1066 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1
Annex I – paragraph 1
Amendment 1069 #
2013/0140(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – section 1 – point 6
Annex II – section 1 – point 6
6. The different stages of production, processing and distribution, and the possible risks to human health, and where appropriate to the health of animals and plants, to the welfare of animals, to the environment, and to the identity and quality of plant reproductive material.
Amendment 227 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 155
Recital 155
(155) The rules laid down in the legislative acts referred to in recital 154 are to be replaced by this Regulation and by subsequent Commission acts to be adopted pursuant to this Regulation. Accordingly, those legislative acts should be repealed. Howev, except very recent and still under negotiation ones. In order, to ensure legal clarity and avoid a legal vacuum, the repeal should only take effect when the relevant delegated and implementing acts are adopted pursuant to this Regulation. It is therefore necessary to provide the Commission with the empowerment to determine the dates when the repeal of those legislative acts should take effect.
Amendment 228 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 158
Recital 158
(158) In order to ensure legal certainty as regards the application of rules for identification and registration of animals, disease control measures for certain zoonoses and non-commercial movements of pet animals, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the date on which Regulations (EC) No 1760/2000, (EU) No XXX/XXX [Ex-998/2003] and (EC) No 21/2004 and Directives 92/66/EEC, 2000/75/EC, 2001/89/EC, 2002/60/EC, 2003/85/EC, 2005/94/EC and 2008/71/EC cease to apply.
Amendment 389 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 258 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – indent 1
Article 258 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – indent 1
Amendment 390 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 258 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – indent 19
Article 258 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – indent 19
Amendment 392 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 259 – title
Article 259 – title
Transitional measures related to the repeal of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000, Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 and Directive 2008/71/EC
Amendment 393 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 259 – paragraph 1
Article 259 – paragraph 1
1. Notwithstanding Article 258(2) of this Regulation, Regulations (EC) No 1760/2000, and (EC) No 21/2004 and Directive 2008/71/EC shall continue to apply until the date to be determined in a delegated act adopted in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article.
Amendment 397 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – point 1
Annex III – point 1
Amendment 398 #
2013/0136(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – point 18
Annex III – point 18
Amendment 62 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 6
Article 7 – paragraph 6
6. The heads of National Units shall meet on a regular basis or at least four times a year, particularly to discuss and solve problems that occur in the context of their operational cooperation with Europol.
Amendment 63 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 10
Article 7 – paragraph 10
10. Each year Europol shall draw up a report on the quantity and quality of information provided by each Member State pursuant to paragraph 5(a) and on the performance of its National Unit. The annual report shall be sent to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and national parliaments. On the basis of this report Europol will participate in meetings of the European Parliament's competent committees when requested.
Amendment 64 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. An autonomous department within Europol, called the Europol Academy, as set up by this Regulation, shall support, develop, deliver and coordinate training for law enforcement officers in particular in the areas of the fight against serious crime affecting two or more Member States and terrorism, management of high-risk public order and sports events, strategic planning and command of non-military Union missions, as well as law enforcement leadership and language skills and in particular to:
Amendment 65 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. The Europol Academy shall send an annual report of its activities and achievements including an overview of its annual accounts, to the competent committees of the European Parliament.
Amendment 67 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Each member of the Management Board will submit at the start of its mandate a declaration of his or her interests.
Amendment 68 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) adopt a consolidated annual activity report on Europol's activities and a separate report on the Europol Academy, which both will be send it, by 1 JulyMarch of the following year, to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Auditors and national Parliaments. The consolidated annual activity reports shall be made public;
Amendment 69 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 9 a (new)
Article 20 – paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Each member of the Scientific Committee for Training will submit at the start of its mandate a declaration of his or her interests.
Amendment 74 #
2013/0091(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 62 – paragraph 2
Article 62 – paragraph 2
2. Europol shall send the reports on the budgetary and financial management to the European Parliament, the Council and the Court of Auditors by 31 March of the following financial year.
Amendment 31 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Massive flows of dirtyillicit money can damage the stability and reputation of the financial sector and threaten the single market as well as international development, and terrorism shakes the very foundations of our society. Crucial facilitators of illicit money flows are secretive corporate structures operating in and through secrecy jurisdictions, often also referred to as tax havens. In addition to the criminal law approach, a preventive effort via the financial system can produce results.
Amendment 36 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The need for accurate and up-to-date information on the beneficial owner of legal persons, trusts, foundations, mutuals, holdings and all other similar existing or future legal arrangements is a key factor in tracing criminals who might otherwise hide their identity behind a corporate structure. Member States should therefore ensure that companies retain information on their beneficial ownership and makeensure that this information available to competent authorities and obliged entitiesis made publically available in form of a public registry. In addition, trustees should declare their status to obliged entities.
Amendment 37 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) This is particularly true of business or beneficial relationships with individuals holding, or having held, important public positions and important positions in foundations and mutuals, particularly those from countries where corruption is widespread, within the Union and internationally. Such relationships may expose the financial sector in particular to significant reputational and legal risks. The international effort to combat corruption also justifies the need to pay special attention to such cases and to apply appropriate enhanced customer due diligence measures in respect of persons who hold or have held prominent functions domestically or abroad and senior figures in international organisations.
Amendment 39 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) There have been a number of cases of whistleblowers and employees who report their suspicions of money laundering being subjected to threats or hostile action. Although this Directive cannot interfere with Member States' judicial procedures, this is a crucial issue for the effectiveness of the anti- money laundering and anti- terrorist financing system. Member States should be aware of this problem and should do whatever they can to protect whistleblowers and employees from such threats or hostile action.
Amendment 40 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
(2a) the European Investment Bank
Amendment 41 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 b (new)
(2b) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Amendment 42 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 c (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 c (new)
(2c) Central Banks of the Member States when performing or facilitating commercial or private transactions
Amendment 43 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 d (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 d (new)
(2d) Central Settlement Systems
Amendment 44 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point b – point v
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point b – point v
(v) creation, operation or management of trusts, companies, foundations, mutuals or similar structures;
Amendment 45 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point f a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point f a (new)
(fa) Member States shall prohibit cash transfers exceeding 10000 Euros, whether the transaction is carried out in a single operation or in several operations which appear to be linked.
Amendment 47 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point a – point i – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point a – point i – paragraph 1
A percentage of 2510 % plus one share shall be evidence of ownership or control through shareholding and applies to every level of direct and indirect ownership;
Amendment 48 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b – point i
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b – point i
(i) the natural person(s) who exercises control over 2510 % or more of the property of a legal arrangement or entity; and
Amendment 49 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b – point ii
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b – point ii
(ii) where the future beneficiaries have already been determined, the natural person(s) who is the beneficiary of 2510 % or more of the property of a legal arrangement or entity; or
Amendment 50 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development shall adopt and publish on their website an anti-money laundering policy, containing detailed procedures that give effect to provisions under this Directive.
Amendment 51 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a Equivalence 1. The Commission shall by means of delegated acts in accordance with Article 58a adopt decisions on the recognition of the legal and supervisory framework of jurisdictions outside the Union as compliant with minimum standards of good governance in tax matters as defined by Commission Recommendation C(2012) 8805 and equivalent to the minimum requirements of this Directive. 2. As of January 2018, corporate or legal entities, including trusts, foundations, mutuals, holdings and all other similar, in terms of structure or function, existing or future legal arrangements, established, or governed under the law of, jurisdictions outside the Union not deemed compliant and equivalent, shall be prohibited from operating within the Union.
Amendment 52 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall make the opinion available publicly to assist Member States and obliged entities to identify, manage and mitigate the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing, and to allow other stakeholders including legislators to better understand the financial risks.
Amendment 53 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) identifyingFurther to the identification of the beneficial owners ands listed in the public registry pursuant to article 29, taking reasonable measures to verify histheir identity so that the institution or person covered by this Directive is fully satisfied that it knows who the beneficial owner iss are, including, as regards legal persons, trusts and similar, foundations, mutuals, holdings and all other similar existing or future legal arrangements, taking reasonableall necessary measures to understand the ownership and control structure of the customer;
Amendment 54 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Amendment 55 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 3
Article 12 – paragraph 3
Amendment 56 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 16 – paragraph 2
Article 16 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall require obliged entities to examine, as far as reasonably possible, the background and purpose of all complex, unusual large transactions, and all unusual patterns of transactions, which have no apparent economic or lawful purpose, or which constitute tax crimes amounting to criminal activity within the meaning of Article 3(4)(f), or which are constitutive of aggressive tax planning as defined by Commission recommendation C(2012) 8806. In particular, they shall increase the degree and nature of monitoring of the business relationship, in order to determine whether those transactions or activities appear unusual or suspicious. In case an obliged entity determines such unusual or suspicious transaction or activity, it shall without delay inform the FIUs of all Member States that might be concerned.
Amendment 57 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 a (new)
Article 18 a (new)
Article 18 a Moreover, EBA, EIOPA and ESMA shall provide a qualified list of intra –EU Politically Exposed Persons.
Amendment 58 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 1
Article 29 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that corporate or legal entities established within their territory obtain and hold adequate, accurate and current information on their beneficial ownership, including trusts, foundations, mutuals, holdings and all other similar, in terms of structure or function, existing or future legal arrangements established within their territory, or governed under their law obtain, hold and transmit to a public registry pursuant to paragraph 4 of this article, adequate, accurate and current information on their beneficial ownership, at the moment of establishment or any changes thereof. The public registry shall contain but not be limited to the following information: a) name and legal form of the corporate or legal entity, b) address c) basic regulatory powers d) list of directors e) shareholder information including names, dates of birth and addresses, the number of shares per shareholder, and categories of shares. The requirements stipulated in this paragraph are without prejudice to the customer due diligence provisions of this directive.
Amendment 59 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 2
Article 29 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall ensure that the information referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article can be accessed in a timely manner by competent authoritRegarding trusts or other types of legal entity and arrangements with a similar structure to and function of trusts, the information shall also include the identity of the settler, of the trustee(s), of the protector (if relevant), of the beneficiaries or class of beneficiaries, and by obliged entities. of any other natural person exercising effective control over the trust.
Amendment 63 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Member States shall ensure that trustees disclose their status to obliged entities when, as a trustee, the trustee forms a business relationship or carries out an occasional transaction above the threshold set out in points (b), (c) and (d) of Article 10.
Amendment 64 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Member States shall ensure that the information referred to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this article is displayed in a public beneficial ownership registry in a timely, comprehensive and comprehensible manner before end of 2014. Any changes to the information required shall be clearly indicated in the registry without delay and at latest within 30 days.
Amendment 65 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 2 c (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. For the purposes of this article, Member States shall establish effective anti-abuse measures with a view to preventing misuse based on bearer shares and bearer share warrants.
Amendment 66 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 2 d (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 2 d (new)
2d. Sanctions for non-compliance with this article shall be applied in accordance with article 55 of this directive.
Amendment 67 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 30
Article 30
Amendment 70 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 37 – paragraph 1
Article 37 – paragraph 1
Member States shall take all appropriate measures in order to protect employees of the obliged entity who report suspicions of money laundering or terrorist financing either internally or to the FIU from being exposed to threats or hostile action. EBA, EIOPA, ESMA and the FIU shall provide one or more secure communication channel for persons to report suspicions of laundering or terrorist financing. Such channels shall ensure that the identity of persons providing information is known only to EBA; EIOPA, ESMA or the FIU.
Amendment 72 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 47 – paragraph 1
Article 47 – paragraph 1
Amendment 73 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 48 – paragraph 1
Article 48 – paragraph 1
The Commission may lend such assistance as may be needed to facilitate coordination, including the exchange of information between FIUs within the Union. It mayshall regularly convene meetings with representatives from Member States' FIUs, EBA, EIOPA and ESMA to facilitate co- operation and to exchange views on co- operation related issues.
Amendment 75 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 55 – paragraph 1
Article 55 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that obliged entities and any legal entity pursuant to Article 29, can be held liable for breaches of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive.
Amendment 76 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 55 – paragraph 2
Article 55 – paragraph 2
2. Without prejudice to the right of Member States to impose criminal penalties, Member States shall ensure that competent authorities may take appropriate administrative measures and impose administrative sanctions where obliged entities, or any legal entity pursuant to Article 29, breach the national provisions, adopted in the implementation of this Directive, and shall ensure that they are applied. Those measures and sanctions shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
Amendment 77 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 56 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 56 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. This Article shall at least apply to situations where obliged entities, or any legal entity pursuant to Article 29, demonstrate systematic failings in relation to the requirements of the following Articles:
Amendment 78 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 56 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 56 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) 29 (information on beneficial ownership)
Amendment 79 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 58 a (new)
Article 58 a (new)
Article 58 a Delegated Powers 1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 5a(1) shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from the date referred to in Article 62. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 5a(1) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of that decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 5. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 5a(1) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or the Council.
Amendment 8 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Flows of dirty money through transfers of funds canMassive flows of illicit money damage the stability and reputation of the financial sector and threaten the internal market. Terrorism shakes the very foundations of our societysingle market as well as international development, and terrorism shakes the very foundations of our society. Crucial facilitators of illicit money flows are secretive corporate structures operating in and through secrecy jurisdictions, often also referred to as tax havens. The soundness, integrity and stability of the system of transfers of funds and confidence in the financial system as a whole could beis being seriously jeopardised by the efforts of criminals and their associates either to disguise the origin of criminal proceeds or to transfer funds for terrorist purposes.
Amendment 9 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) In order to facilitate their criminal activities, money launderers and terrorist financers could try toare takeing advantage of the freedom of capital movements entailed by the integrated financial area, unless certain coordinating measures are adopted at Union level. By its scale, Union action should ensure that Recommendation 16 on wire transfers of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), adopted in February 2012 is transposed uniformly throughout the Union, and, in particular, that there is no discrimination between national payments within a Member State and cross border payments between Member States. Uncoordinated action by Member States alone in the field of cross border transfers of funds could have a significant impact on the smooth functioning of payment systems at Union level and therefore damage the internal market in the field of financial services.
Amendment 12 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) It is appropriate to exclude from the scope of this Regulation transfers of funds that represent a low risk of money laundering or terrorist financing. Such exclusions should cover credit or debit cards, mobile telephones or other digital or information technology (IT) devices, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) withdrawals, payments of taxes, fines or other levies, and transfers of funds where both the payer and the payee are payment service providers acting on their own behalf. In addition, in order to reflect the special characteristics of national payment systems, Member States may exempt electronic giro payments, provided that it is always possible to trace the transfer of funds back to the payer. However, every exemption should be reviewed periodically, and there must be no exemption when a debit or credit card, a mobile telephone or other digital or IT prepaid or postpaid device is used in order to effect a person-to-person transfer.
Amendment 17 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
This Regulation shall not apply to transfers of funds carried out using a credit or debit card, or a mobile telephone or any other digital or information technology (IT) device, where the following conditions are fulfilled:. Based on periodic reviews of these exemptions, the Commission is empowered to adopt a delegated act limiting further these exemptions.
Amendment 18 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
However, this Regulation shall apply when a credit or debit card, or a mobile telephone, or any other digital or IT prepaid or postpaid device is used in order to eaffect a person-to-person transfer of funds.
Amendment 19 #
Amendment 21 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Payment service providers established in the Union shall apply this regulation with regard to their subsidiaries and branches operating in jurisdictions outside the Union that are not deemed equivalent. The Commission shall by means of delegated acts in accordance with Article 22a adopt decisions on the recognition of the legal and supervisory framework of jurisdictions outside the Union as equivalent to the requirements of this Regulation.
Amendment 22 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Exercise of a delegation 1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 15(1a) shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from the date referred to in Article 26. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 15(1a) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of that decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 5. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 15(1a) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or the Council.
Amendment 23 #
2013/0024(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 40 #
2013/0000(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Recalls the plenary decision for the Council to present a roadmap by June 2013 on the multiple seats of the EP and expects both the Committees concerned, the Secretary General and the Bureau to provide members with up-to-date figures and information on the financial and environmental impact of the multiple seat arrangement; suggests the EP's own impact assessment services examine this question also with respect to the impact of the EP's presence or partial presence on the respective communities and regions and present an assessment by June 2013 in order for these findings to be considered for the next MFF;
Amendment 5 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Parliament's estimates for 2014 put the overall budget at EUR 1 808 144 206, with costs directly related to the geographic dispersion estimated at EUR 180 000 000between EUR 169 million and EUR 204 million;
Amendment 8 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas since the beginning of the current legislature, both individual committees and the plenary have made several specific requests to the European Parliament's administration to provide comprehensive, detailed and reliable estimates of the additional costs relating to each of the three places of work;
Amendment 9 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas, the numbers provided by the Secretary-General's report to the Bureau of September 2002 are the last overall cost estimates available;
Amendment 10 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas the 2002 Secretary-General's estimate was confirmed by the joint working group report of the Bureau and the Committee on Budgets on Parliament's budget for 2012, when complementing the EUR 148 million estimate by the EUR 25 million of annual amortisation cost for the Strasbourg buildings that need to be taken into account since the purchase of named buildings;
Amendment 13 #
2012/2308(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11
Citation 11
– having regard to Rules 5.3, 29, 41, 48 and 74a of its Rules of Procedure,
Amendment 14 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Amendment 14 #
2012/2308(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
Citation 12 a (new)
– having regard to the parliament's vote on 23 October 2012, which saw a majority of 78% of Members call on EU governments to revise the issue of parliament's official seat; Strasbourg;
Amendment 18 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas a reply given to the EP Budgetary Control Committee in preparation for the EP discharge for 2011 does not provide estimates on the potential savings, but only a partial estimate of the additional costs of the Strasbourg seat; whereas this EUR 55 million estimate does not include many budget lines that were included in previous and following estimates, namely the cost of data processing, equipment and movable property, travel expenses of political groups as well as any potential savings connected to time lost travelling (totalling EUR 68 million); whereas this estimate provides lower numbers on several budget lines than both previous and following estimates without providing any justification (totalling EUR 25 million);
Amendment 20 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas none of these estimates includes the additional costs of the European Parliament's geographic dispersion on the other European Union institutions, in particular the European Commission and Council, EU member states' representations, journalists and civil society representatives;
Amendment 21 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas ¾ of members believe that the EP should find significant structural savings and these could be found in re- evaluating the EP's geographical dispersion of places of work, illustrated by a breakdown of the costs of Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg set out in a transparent and credible format to standards expected from a major public body;
Amendment 22 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas the historical reasons for the European bodies permanently seated in Strasbourg are well-known in respect e.g. the European Court for Human Rights and the Council of Europe, and while the European Assembly /Parliament for convenience initially used the latter's Chamber, the choice of Brussels as the seat of the European Commission and of NATO reflect the EU's aspirations for a continent progressively united in prosperity and security;
Amendment 23 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
Ce. whereas situating the co-legislators of the EU in a single place does not undermine the tradition of polycentrism in the EU but bears significant efficiency and transparency gains for EU citizens;
Amendment 24 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C f (new)
Recital C f (new)
Cf. whereas, in many Member States, parliament's seat is laid down either in the Constitution or by law and whereas the European Parliament is a co-legislator of European law and can call for changes of the European treaties under article 48 of the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 25 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C g (new)
Recital C g (new)
Cg. whereas during the European Year of Citizens it is appropriate to show that their voice is not only heard but that their directly elected representatives are taking action on their behalf in order to end the monthly travel between the EP's places of work;
Amendment 26 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C h (new)
Recital C h (new)
Ch. whereas the European institutions must do everything to further European political integration and bridge the perceived distance from citizens by tackling a major structural issue of the institutions and promoting European understanding, transparency, accountability and coherence by having the EU's decision making bodies in one place;
Amendment 27 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C i (new)
Recital C i (new)
Ci. whereas 6% of the EU budget is intended for administrative purposes and that the European Union, with a relatively small operating budget for 500 million inhabitants, must set an example in these times of crisis by streamlining its own budgetary impact as much as possible without prejudice to the proper functioning of the European Parliament, adding that the efficiency gains of having a single seat near the co-legislator cannot be ignored;
Amendment 35 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Considers that while the seats of the European Institutions are enshrined in the Treaties, so is article 48, which allows for a proposal for treaty change;
Amendment 48 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph C a (new)
Paragraph C a (new)
Ca. whereas MEPs have repeatedly requested the Parliament's Administration procure for a Eurobarometer survey which asks European citizens for their views on Parliament's split-site arrangement;
Amendment 83 #
2012/2308(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q a (new)
Recital Q a (new)
Qa. whereas Members have repeatedly requested up-to-date breakdowns of the financial, environmental and social costs of the parliament's working arrangements, because the Administration has yet to produce a consistent and coherent set of figures;
Amendment 115 #
2012/2308(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges that any future decision by Parliament on its working arrangements must allow sufficient time for debate and reflection, as well as for an orderly transition; requests a study into the one- off cost of moving all parliament's activities to a single working location;
Amendment 122 #
2012/2308(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Asks the Administration to provide a comprehensive analysis of the potential savings for our budget if the parliament had only one place of work, in Brussels; asks that this analysis includes the budgetary aspects and the ancillary costs such as savings made as a result of loss of working time and efficiency;
Amendment 123 #
2012/2308(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Asks the Administration to procure that EMAS or suitable external consultants provide an analysis of the environmental aspects if the parliament held all its plenary sessions in Brussels;
Amendment 124 #
2012/2308(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Asks the Administration to procure that the parliament's Medical Service provide an analysis of the health effects of the monthly session in Strasbourg on Members, staff and assistants;
Amendment 131 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the relevant services of the European Parliament to make an assessment of the agreement between the authorities in Luxembourg and the European Parliament, on the number of staff to be present in Luxembourg, taking into account a revision of the Parliament's needs; this assessment shall include suggestions on how to renegotiate this agreement, without prejudice to the legal provisions;
Amendment 136 #
2012/2308(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Calls on Parliament's Administration to procure for Eurobarometer or similar professional polling service to conduct a survey of EU citizens' views on the maintenance of Parliament's split site working arrangement by 1 January 2014, with specific reference to the financial, environmental and efficiency costs of this arrangement;
Amendment 10 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the recent policy evolutions at EU and international level which are focused on a more ambitious partnership with CSOs and LAs, founded on a human rights-based approach to development, including economic, social and cultural rights as well as international treaties on environment and biodiversity protection; and on a clear engagement to strengthening the democratic process and accountability;
Amendment 13 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that creating accountable, human rights-based, and inclusivedemocratic relations among governments, LAs, CSOs, and citizens offers a unique opportunity for the EU to establish transparent and sustainable partnerships with developing countries;
Amendment 15 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Believes that Policy Coherence for Development must be the guiding principle of the EU cooperation with local authorities aiming at developing local economy to provide decent livelihood to the population at community level,
Amendment 21 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the EU to promote institutionalised mechanisms for multilevel and multiple stakeholder dialogue among CSOs, LAs and partner governments in decent work agendas, and sustainable and inclusive growth with redistribution of revenue through government budget;
Amendment 26 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to allocate adequate resources in the future programming period, to allow CSOs and LAs from partner countries to raise awarenessmonitor and analyse progress towards policy coherence for development (PCD) at local, national and international level;
Amendment 28 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses the important role that local authorities and civil society organisations can play in fighting corruption at all level including tax evasion and illicit financial flow from developing countries ;
Amendment 52 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Is of the view that tax revenues are essential for local economic development and considers that priority should be given to put in place effective and viable tax collection systems to ensure sustainable source of development financing,
Amendment 2 #
2012/2215(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ...Postpones granting discharge to the Director of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy discharge in respect of the implementation of the Joint Undertaking's budget for the financial year 2011,
Amendment 6 #
2012/2215(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ...Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2011;
Amendment 17 #
2012/2200(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. calls on the agency in the strongest possible terms to address the critical remarks in this report immediately so that for the 2012 discharge procedure adequate solutions are fully implemented in order to prevent the competent committee to propose to the House postponement of the discharge or not to grant discharge at all;
Amendment 2 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Thinks it is noteworthy in this contextakes note that the Special Report No 15/2012 , ‘Management of Conflict of Interest in Selected EU Agencies’, by the Court of Auditors is not taking into account to the full the latest developments and improvements put in place by the Authority; therefore, notes with satisfaction the imconcludes that, despite some improvements, the management of conflict of interest situations in the Authority is still not adequate, in particular concerning the anticipation and proevement of all procedures related to transparency and possiblention of ‘revolving doors’ type of conflict of interest situations, lack of clarity of criteria for the assessment of conflicts of interests in for the Authority and will support the Ex’s scientific experts and lack of clear and objecutive Director in its further effortscriteria for laying down which circumstances lead to sanctions in cases of breach of trust;
Amendment 4 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ...Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2011;
Amendment 5 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Urges the Authority, in particular its Executive Director, to explain, in due time before the plenary vote on its discharge for 2011, which specific measures it has taken or will take to address the problems detected by the Court of Auditors in its Special Report No 15/2012 regarding conflict of interest situations in EFSA; emphasises that discharge to the Authority may only be granted if these explanations are satisfactory;
Amendment 8 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ...Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2011;
Amendment 12 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets that according to the findings of the Court of Auditors, at the time of completion of the field work (October 2011), the Authority did not adequately manage conflict of interest situations; notes, however, that the Authority had already developed advanceds started to develop policies for managing conflicts of interest;
Amendment 14 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Is concerned, however, about the fact that the Authority has not submitted a coherent plan to combat conflicts of interest in the management plan 2013, although the Court of Auditors in its special report No 15/2012 on the issue, stated that conflicts of interest in four EU agencies authorising food, medicines, chemicals and aviation security standards might be putting people's safety at risk; notes that the Court of Auditors concluded that none of the four agencies under review manage conflicts of interest adequately; notes, furthermore, that the Court of Auditors' rapporteur stated that situations of conflict of interest can occur in any workplace at any time and, if not addressed, they can affect decisions, cause reputational damage and may affect the safety and health of consumers;
Amendment 15 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Welcomes the organisation of a mandatory session on ethics and integrity for all members of the Management Board in October 2012 but calls on the Management Board to enforce effectively its Code of Conduct and adopt provisions preventing and sanctioning revolving door cases in order to avoid similar situations to the one of its former Chairperson in the future;
Amendment 16 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Notes that the Authority scheduled an evaluation of its independence policy by the end of 2013 and committed to consider, inter alia, the possibility to publish the outcomes of the breach of trust procedures, including the outcomes of the procedure verifying the integrity of the scientific review and to broaden and reinforce the mandate of its Committee on Conflict of Interests, for instance with a similar mandate to the Committee for Ethical Standards and Prevention of Conflict of Interest of the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES); expects the Authority to inform the discharge authority on this matter if possible before October 2013;
Amendment 17 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 d (new)
Paragraph 7 d (new)
7 d. Calls on the Authority to start a structured dialogue with civil society on matters relating to conflicts of interest and to invite those organisations concerned at least twice a year to openly discuss matters of common interest based on a agreed agenda and to inform the discharge authorities on the outcome of these deliberations; has noted that the Authority has intensified this dialogue with stakeholders and civil society, but considers that these dialogues need to be institutionalised and taken into account by the Management Board of the Authority;
Amendment 21 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Urges the Authority to keep conflict of interests high on the priority list in order to protect its credibility and to safeguard the public's trust in food safety, and to indicate, as detailed and precise as possible, how it will implement the main recommendations from the report of the Court of Auditors and the Resolution of the European Parliament; urges the Authority to consider conflict of interests with utmost care, given the start of the revision of the founding regulation, which provides an opportunity to reach the highest governance standards as described by the OECD, and which would influence positively the Authority's governance structure, independence and scientific quality; considers that the revision of the founding regulation is a major opportunity to initiate radical change at the Authority that is responsible for objective scientific advice on food and environmental safety at Union level;
Amendment 22 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Strongly suggests that in order to prevent the staff of the Authority from moving directly from their position to a post in industry or related lobby-agency, or vice versa, a cooling off period of minimum two years should be respected;
Amendment 23 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8 c. Is of the opinion that candidates for scientific panels should be screened before their appointment to see if they have direct family related links to lobbyists or industry representatives or if they do any consultancy work for companies which could profit from their work;
Amendment 30 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – subparagraph 1
Paragraph 9 – subparagraph 1
urges the Authority to report to the discharge authority on the implementation of the abovementioned policies and procedures, as well as on any further developments as regards the management of conflicts of interest before October 2013;
Amendment 33 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that the guidelines of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, on which the Court of Auditors has based its work on the Special Report No 15/2012, while offering an international benchmark on the issue, are not designed for an agency, and they do not meet the specific needs of the decentralised agencies; commendendorses the Commission's intention to come up with guidelines on the management of conflicts of interest, as provided for in its ‘Roadmap on the follow-up to the Common Approach on EU decentralised agencies’;
Amendment 37 #
2012/2196(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes with satisfaction that since 2011, the Authority has introduced in its AAR a special section describing the actions taken to implement its independence policy, thus partly answering to the recommendation formulated in Parliament's resolution of 23 October 2012 on discharge to the Authority for the financial year 2010*1 ;
Amendment 9 #
2012/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges fromWas informed by the Agency that as regards an ex post check of the declarations of interest of its experts and committee members, a representative sample of the remaining 46% of the experts will be included in the ex post check currently being performed; notes that a new, more thorough check is being developed as a result of lessons learned from the ex post control check performed in the context of the 2010 discharge; takes note of the timetable as communicated by the Agency, expects that the all actions will be fully implemented according to this table and awaits to be duly informed in detail on the outcome of the check;
Amendment 23 #
2012/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 – subparagraph 1
Paragraph 12 – subparagraph 1
urges the Agency to report to the discharge authority on a 6 months basis on the implementation of the abovementioned policies and procedures, as well as on any further developments as regards management of conflict of interest;
Amendment 25 #
2012/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 12 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Calls on the agency to start a structured dialogue with civil society on matters relating to conflicts of interest and to invite those organisations concerned at least twice a year to discuss matters of common interest based on a agreed agenda and to inform the discharge authorities on the outcome of these deliberations;
Amendment 9 #
2012/2188(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Invites the Commission to explore further, together with Eurofound, Cedefop and EU-OSHA, the synergies that exist between the three agencies, and to evaluate whether closer cooperation could lead to economies of scale and an optimisation of their performance; calls on the Commission, together with Eurofound, Cedefop and EU-OSHA, to report, before any decisions concerning possible changes to the respective responsibilities and/or working methods of these agencies are considered, on the outcome of their evaluation to the discharge authority;
Amendment 4 #
2012/2184(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Invites the Commission to explore further, together with Eurofound, Cedefop and EU-OSHA, the synergies that exist between the three agencies, and to evaluate whether closer cooperation could lead to economies of scale and an optimisation of their performance; calls on the Commission, together with Eurofound, Cedefop and EU-OSHA, to report, before any decisions concerning possible changes to the respective responsibilities and/or working methods of these agencies are considered, on the outcome of their evaluation to the discharge authority;
Amendment 9 #
2012/2183(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Invites the Commission to explore further, together with Eurofound, Cedefop and EU-OSHA, the synergies that exist between the three agencies, and to evaluate whether closer cooperation could lead to economies of scale and an optimisation of their performance; calls on the Commission, together with Eurofound, Cedefop and EU-OSHA, to report, before any decisions concerning possible changes to the respective responsibilities and/or working methods of these agencies are considered, on the outcome of their evaluation to the discharge authority;
Amendment 4 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights the added value of the parliamentary procedure leading up to the annual Parliament discharge; reiterates that the Parliament discharge is an additional possibility for exercising, in public, a critical scrutiny of the institution's financial management, thereby facilitating Union citizens' understanding of Parliament's particular governance structure and, working methods and the costs of a democratic Europe;
Amendment 9 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that scrutiny is necessary to ensure that Parliament's administration is held accountable and that only full and complete transparency offers citizens of the Union an insight into Parliament's use of the resources put at its disposal; stresses however that the Parliament's discharge procedure involves non-negligible risks for the reputation of the Parliament as an institution;
Amendment 12 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that even non-material shortcomings may result in considerable reputational damage overshadowing Parliament's policy achievements and reminds Parliament's Members and staff of their personal responsibility in Parliament's proper financial management;
Amendment 14 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with satisfaction the quality of the exchange of views between the Vice- President responsible for the Budget, the Secretary-General and the Committee on Budgetary Control on 22 January 2013 in the context of the 2011 Parliament discharge; reiterates that Parliament's administration is held accountable throughout this process and that the discharge reports on Parliament's implementation of its budget and the activities of its Committee on Budgetary Control over the last decade have played an important role and brought about very positive developments in Parliament's financial management, such as the Members' statute and the assistants' statute; is determined to continue this encouraging development towards excellence and transparency in public financial management;
Amendment 16 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes that, on 22 September 2011, the representatives of the Bureau and of the Committee on Budgets reached agreement on additional saving measures that were subsequently incorporated into Parliament's 2012 budget; firmly holds that those smart savings measures of almost EUR 40 000 000 do not affect either the efficiency of Parliament's activities or the resources made available to each Member; calls on the Secretary-General to keep the Council and the Commission informed on Parliament's achievements and, to this end, to obtain information on their actions and to request to be informed of the answers received; points out, however, that savings should be made by spending less money and not by advancing or delaying payments or shifts between budgets;
Amendment 19 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Reminds its President and Secretary- General of it resolution of 6 February 20131 where it "recalls the decision adopted in plenary calling for the Council to present a roadmap by June 2013 on the multiple seats of the EP, and expects both the committees concerned, the Secretary- General and the Bureau to provide Members with up-to-date figures and information on the financial and environmental impact of the multiple seat arrangement; suggests that the EP's own impact assessment services examine this question, including with respect to the impact of the EP's presence or partial presence on the respective communities and regions, and present an assessment by June 2013 in order for their findings to be considered in the context of the next MFF"; points out that June 2013 is approaching rapidly;
Amendment 21 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that the new Financial Regulation (Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012) and its Rules of Application came into effect on 1 January 2013 and brought about major changes in financial management, in particular by ensuring enhanced sound financial management and the protection of the Union's financial interests, introducing financial mechanisms which enable the mobilisation of third-party funds as leverage on Union funds and cutting red tape, while shifting the focus from paperwork to performance; encourages the Parliament's services, as in the past revisions of the Financial Regulation, to implement those rules without delay and with the minimum possible negative impact on Parliament's administration, would like to be informed before the start of the 2012 discharge procedure if the new Financial Regulation has led to a decrease in staff needed for financial management;
Amendment 22 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the new Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament with respect to financial interests and conflicts of interest adopted by its plenary on 1 December 2011; notes that Members are required to make full disclosure of any remunerated activities outside Parliament, of the remuneration they receive, and of any other functions that they perform which may give rise to conflicts of interest; further notes that the code expressly prohibits Members from accepting any sum of money or other gift in exchange for influencing Parliament decisions; notes with satisfaction that it lays down clear rules on accepting gifts and on former Members engaging in lobbying; expects that the implementing rules will be communicated in an adequate way to the Members, and that declarations will be checked on a sample basis;
Amendment 28 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes the publication of the social report, which gives a valuable insight into Parliament's human resources; asks for the 2012 report to be published before the end of September 2013; further notes that Parliament's establishment plan increased between 2010 to 2011 by 4 % mainly as a result of the entry into force ofnew responsibilities and extra workload under the Treaty of Lisbon and the anticipated accession of Croatia to the Union;
Amendment 31 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Points out that 2011 was the second full year in which the new Statute for Members and the Statute for Assistants has been in force (both effective as of 14 July 2009); notes that the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Assistants have been amended four times in those two years for the application of Title VII of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities (CEOS) and the Implementing Measures on the basis of proposals from the Temporary Evaluation Group and the Secretary-General; recalls that the implementation of Title VII of the CEOS created a single scheme governing the status of accredited parliamentary assistants (APAs) working in Parliament's three working places, which replaced twenty-seven different national systems of contractual relationships, taxation and social security and that currently there is no evidence that would suggest a need to adapt the rules applying to parliamentary assistants contained in Title VII of the CEOS; suggest a full evaluation of the Statute of Assistants including possible adaptations of the rules before the next European elections;
Amendment 37 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Points Is concerned about the significant increase of carry-overs into 2011 (EUR 240 268 630*1) and calls for improved planning of expenditure; calls on the administration to reverse this trend in the run up to future European elections; 1Or. en Automatic carry-overs: EUR 231 028 630, non-automatic carry-overs: EUR 9 240 000.
Amendment 42 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Takes note ofEndorses the responses given by Parliament in the contradictory procedure with the Court of Auditors;
Amendment 44 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Stresses that in line with transparency policies towards its citizens the internal audits should be made available after some time on the websites of the Parliament; would like to be informed which of these reports are not yet make public and what were the reasons why;
Amendment 48 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36 a. Requests for the second time, after this paragraph was adopted already in 2010 discharge procedure, a full report on how Parliament's Free Software projects have developed with regards to use and users in Parliament, citizen interaction and procurement activities; invites for the second time to investigate, in a full study, Parliament's obligations under Rule 103 of its Rules of Procedure with regard to Free Software and Open Standards;
Amendment 62 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Welcomes the fact that the internalisation of the security services will reduce costs in Brussels and Strasbourg by EUR 16 000 000 in the period up to 2015 and by EUR 6 000 000 for each year thereafter; would like to receive a break down of the savings, including the costs of Parliament's staff being transferred to the new service from other posts/departments; expects that those employed by the actual security firm will be given preference to work for the new internalised service if they wish so, even when this means that they should be given additional training and/or language courses;
Amendment 70 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Takes note of the fact that the contract with the current travel agency expires on 31 December 2013 and that the preparations of a new call for tenders have started; regrets that, while the possibility of a financial audit was provided for in the contract, this is not the case for an audit of the structure and performance of the travel agency; insists that a future contract should include the possibility of intermediary and final financial and performance audits; as requested by the Committee on Budgetary Control, welcomes the fact that the administration will also have recours; considers that if substantial savings on travel costs by Members and staff are to be realized, as decided by the bureau, it could be more cost effective to exinternal expertise when establishing tender documentation and throughout the selection procedure, thereby ensuring that Parliament chooses the best solution, resulting in major simplifications and cost-savings; stressesise this service allowing a better and more frequent control if the cheapest travel options are applied; request before that thea new contract should take into account the best quality/price ratio and the best value for money with competitive priceall for tender is issued a report comparing the costs for both options;
Amendment 78 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Regrets that the audience of Europarl TV, although greater in 2011 as compared 1 Direct visits per month on the website: 2010: 30 000; 2011: 39 559. with 2010*with 20101 , continues to be very low in the case of direct individual users (excluding viewers through partnership agreements with regional TVs) despite the considerable financing that it still received in 2011, amounting to some EUR 8 000 000 (item 3 2 4 6); regrets further that no cost-benefit evaluation of Europarl TV has being made, despite the fact that this was requested by Parliamentplenary in its resolution on the discharge 2010; welcomes, howevernotes, the decision of the Bureau of 12 December 2012 to implement a set of reforms in order to achieve significant savings; expects that such a cost- benefit evaluation is presented before the 2012 discharge procedure;
Amendment 82 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Is concerned at the increased cost of the Lux Prize in 2011*1 ; calls for a more cost- efficient management of this prize; strongly suggest that the costs of the event should be set at a maximum ceiling of 500 000;
Amendment 99 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Regrets that, for the second time, structural defects have been discovered in Parliament's buildings, this time in the wooden ceiling beams of Parliament's Brussels Chamber; calls on DG INLO to commissionmake a full review of the structural situation of all of Parliament's buildings starting with those ones which still are guaranteed by the project developer against hidden faults, if possible with the support of a few selected experts from the national building offices of different Members States and and, making full use of in- house accumulated knowledge; calls on the Secretary-General to present a plan to the Bureau soon with all the teconomhnical details for these works; plus the costs involved;
Amendment 104 #
2012/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69 a (new)
Paragraph 69 a (new)
69a. Would like to be informed about the total KW/H produced by Parliament's solar panels;
Amendment 13 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) The Commission should annually adopt a communication to the European Parliament, the Council and the Court of Auditors with a view to making public all the amounts (in nominal terms) recovered per Member-State, International organisation or third country in the course of the preceding year through financial corrections and recoveries for all management modes at the level of the Union and by Member States; the Commission should demonstrate to the greatest possible extent that the financial corrections adequately compensated for errors made, and that they contributed to lasting improvements of the management and control systems;
Amendment 14 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) Points out that recoveries should be made for the total amount of the Union' s contribution of a project if due to errors or mismanagement of funds by national or regional authorities the project fails largely to achieve it aims even when a part of the project has been financed and funds have already been dispersed;
Amendment 20 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point c b (new)
(cb) The Commission shall report how it intends to improve as soon as possible its provision to introduce a pro-active management of potential conflict of interests and 'revolving doors';
Amendment 21 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point c c (new)
(cc) The Commission shall report how it has implemented Article 5(3) of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and how it intends to improve and clarify existing rules;
Amendment 22 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c d (new)
Paragraph 1 – point c d (new)
(cd) The Commission should provide Parliament as soon as possible with an overview about all (public and non- public) documents and all persons involved in the negotiations of the four cooperation agreements with the tobacco industry;
Amendment 26 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) collect information from Member States concerning the degree to which national rules render Union legislation on budget management unnecessarily complicated (‘gold-plating’); recalls that an infringement of those national rules represents an error in budget management terms and that the Commission is ultimately responsible for errors in implementing the Union budget (Article 317 TFEU); requests that this information is sent to the national parliaments once a year and that Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control is duly informed;
Amendment 28 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) support the management and control authorities of the Member States in identifying the systemic sources of errors and give guidance in the form of motivated opinions to those authorities in their simplification efforts; these opinions will be made public;
Amendment 46 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v
Paragraph 1 – point v
(v) The Commission services should develop a new culture of performance, defining in their management plan a number of targets and indicators meeting the requirements of the Court of Auditors in terms of relevance, comparability and reliability; furthermore performance indicators and targets should be fully integrated in all proposals for new policies and programmes;
Amendment 47 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point v a (new)
(va) Asks the Commission to take full account on the remarks and requests formulated in the 'Response of the European Court of Auditors to the Commission's second Article 318 evaluation report';
Amendment 49 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point x a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point x a (new)
(xa) Expects that in the framework of a new and enhanced policy on performance, all evaluation reports done or paid for by the Commission will be made public:
Amendment 53 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point z
Paragraph 1 – point z
(z) collect reliable data on the customs and VAT gap in the Member States, and report on a regularsix month basis to Parliament in this regard;
Amendment 54 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a a
Paragraph 1 – point a a
(aa) identify and implement actions which would increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the collection of customs duties and VAT in the Member States, suggest that in future the percentage of customs duties which the Member States are entitled to keep to cover administrative costs should depend on their effectiveness to collect these duties and not only on the absolute amounts collected;
Amendment 55 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a b
Paragraph 1 – point a b
(ab) identify the channels and schemes allowing for tax evasion and tax avoidance and promote appropriate countermeasures, in particular by multinationals and through post box companies and promote appropriate countermeasures, and to work closely together with the OECD on this issue in the preparation of its report asked for by the G20;
Amendment 57 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a c
Paragraph 1 – point a c
(ac) raise the Member States' awareness, in the context of the negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework, of the uncollected revenue aspects and their impact on the availability of the Union's own resources, the economic situation of the Member States and the internal market and commission a study which would calculate the potential financial benefits for the Member States in tax revenue terms if an equal level playing field against tax evasion and tax avoidance throughout the Union should be created;
Amendment 62 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the fact that the Commission has given Parliament access to the Member States' annual summaries; deplores, however, the fact that only 17 Member States gave the Commission permission to do so; asks the Commission to communicate which steps and measures it will take to see to it that the remaining 10 Member States will also grant their permission;
Amendment 74 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notices that there are differences of opinion between the Court of Auditors and the Commission with regard to the way in which errors should be calculated, in particular as to whether pre-financing should be included or excluded, as to the handling of quantifiable and non- quantifiable errors, and as to the way in which recoveries and financial corrections should be considered in the error calculation; is of the opinion that the differences of opinion mirror the different roles respectively played by the institutions, namely the role of auditor on the one hand and manager on the other, requests the Court of Auditors to consider the possibility to separate these contested different categories of error rates in its next annual report and to qualify the recovery and financial corrections policies/results per sector;
Amendment 87 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. RemindsExpects that Member States are fully aware of their obligations, pursuant to Article 4(3) TFEU and pursuant to the principle of sincere cooperation, to assist in an active and effective way the Union in carrying out tasks which flow from the Treaties;
Amendment 90 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Is convinced that the above mentioned declarations, in combination with a to be introduced self- critical deliberation in the Council and an even-handed, which is lacking until now, and an even-handed and honest and open peer review among Member States, would result in better and more effective budget execution – a result which is preferable to budget cuts; , increase the performance of policies, programmes and projects and which will help to reinforce the solidarity between Member-States and replace mutual distrust, a result which is preferable to budget cuts to the detriment of economic recovery and the trust of the European citizens in a common Europe;
Amendment 91 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Welcomes the fact that Member States may, at the appropriate level, publish information as referred to in paragraph 32, and – in addition – provide declarations signed at an appropriate level based on that information; calls on the Commission to assist the Member States in providing those voluntary management declarations as referred to in Article 59(5) of the new Financial Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 by promoting best practices and rewarding those who follow such practices; insists that Parliament should receive both the management declarations and the voluntary declarations;
Amendment 99 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Urges all other Member States to follow without delay the example of the 15 Member States that have included an ‘overall level of assurance statement’ in their annual summaries for structural actions in the European Social Fund (ESF) and the ERDF*1 in order for the Committee on Budgetary Control to benefit from this information during the 2012 discharge procedure; expects that those Member- States who will not submit such a statement in time will submit a comprehensive statement explaining the reasons why;
Amendment 113 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. WelcomesTakes note of the guidance given by the Secretary-General of the Commission and the Director-General of DG Budget to the Directors-General and heads of services of the Commission on how to calculate the residual error rate, which led to an improvement in some annual activity reports as pointed out by the Court of Auditors;
Amendment 125 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59 a (new)
Paragraph 59 a (new)
59a. Calls on the Council and the COREPER to see to it that on a regular basis national controls systems in particular and the co-responsibility of the Member States for better spending in general are put as specific points on the agenda of the competent Council meetings of ministers and discussed in the presence of the Commission;
Amendment 138 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67
Paragraph 67
67. Welcomes the entry into force of the European Stability Mechanism but reiterates its warning against the setting-up of that Mechanism outside the Union's institutional framework as this precludes any actual democratic and budgetary control by the institutions of the Union, deems it essential that the ESM will be discussed at least once a year in a plenary debate in the presence of the Council and the Commission;
Amendment 145 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73
Paragraph 73
73. Notes that the Court of Auditors, in its annual report, found that the revenue calculation was free from material error; is concerned however that, as far as traditional own resources (TOR) are concerned, the Court's audit does not cover undeclared imports or those that have escaped customs surveillance, and that the annual report does not therefore provide an estimation of losses to the Union budget in that respect; suggests to the Court of Auditors to issue a special report on undeclared imports based on a survey in at least 10 Member-States and to adjust its working programme for 2013 accordingly;
Amendment 148 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78
Paragraph 78
78. Underlines that the Court's findings in its Special Report No 13/2011 were corroborated by the conclusions of the fact- finding mission of Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee to the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, which took place on 19 and20 September 2012; notes that Rotterdam, the largest European port, attracts a lot of ships thanks to the simplified Dutch data processing systemgranted a high-level of simplified custom procedures to importers compared with other major ports in the Union; stresses that simplification of customs procedures should not lead to less effective control systems in European ports, or lead to distortion of competition and that ‘simplified procedures’ should be effectively controlled by the Member States; notes that reduced controls could translate into major economic advantages for a port, points out, however, that seeking such competitive advantages may seriously harm the financial interests of the Union and its Member States;
Amendment 151 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
79. WelcomesTakes note of the initiatives taken by the Commission by way of follow-up to the Court of Auditors' Special Report No 13/2011; regrets, however, that, according to the First Eurofisc Activity Report for 2011 issued in May 2012, the main findings and observations of that Special Report are still outstanding; would like to be informed before September 2013 on progress made;
Amendment 152 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80
Paragraph 80
80. Is seriously concerned, in particular, by the finding of the Working Field 3 that, in most Member States, tax administrations have no direct access to customs data and that automated cross-checking with tax data is therefore not possible;
Amendment 153 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 81
Paragraph 81
81. Regrets that Recommendation No 6 of Special Report No 13/2011, calling for amendment of the VAT Directive in order to identify separately the intra-community supplies following imports under the procedure in question in the trader's VAT recapitulative statement, which would allow an effective reconciliation between the customs and tax data in the Member State of importation, has not been implemented by the Commission, would like to be informed of the reasons why this was not done;
Amendment 258 #
Amendment 259 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174 a (new)
Paragraph 174 a (new)
Amendment 260 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174 b (new)
Paragraph 174 b (new)
174b. Is worried about several cases in 2011 for which the OLAF Director- General has denied the Supervisory Committee sufficient access to case files; emphasizes the importance of full information of the Supervisory Committee, since it endangers the fundamental rights of persons concerned by OLAF investigations and opens the possibility of indemnity claims; urges the Director-General to take the necessary measures to ensure the full and timely information of the Supervisory Committee, so that it can fulfil the role foreseen in the Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 to its full extent; welcomes the principal idea of a working arrangement between the Director-General and the OLAF Supervisory Committee; invites the Director-General and the supervisory board to explain the details of the working arrangement in a meeting of Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control;
Amendment 261 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174 c (new)
Paragraph 174 c (new)
174c. Has noticed the signature of the memorandum of understanding between OLAF and the European Communities Trade Mark Association by the OLAF Director-General; is worried about a possible extension of OLAF's mandate beyond its core competences that might lead to a weakening of OLAF's investigational capacity;
Amendment 262 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174 d (new)
Paragraph 174 d (new)
174d. Has taken note of several cases where the proper treatment of persons concerned by OLAF in respect to their fundamental rights has been successfully challenged in court; is of the opinion that the supervision of OLAF's investigational activities by the Supervisory Committee needs to be strengthened but a sufficient number staff, to be nominated by them, would be made available; underlines the need of a separate budget line and separate establishment plan;
Amendment 263 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174 e (new)
Paragraph 174 e (new)
174e. Is worried about the functionality of OLAF's Supervisory Committee, since one of its Members has withdrawn temporarily from her position in the Committee, being subject to investigations in her home country; calls on the Supervisory Committee to remedy the situation, so that the Committee is again fully manned and functional as soon as possible and functional without delay;
Amendment 264 #
Amendment 265 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174 g (new)
Paragraph 174 g (new)
174g. Recalls that the Secretary General assured the Budgetary Control Committee in her hearing in January 2013 that her work regarding the drafting of the tobacco directive considered only horizontal issues; takes note of the correspondence of the Secretary General with DG SANCO, which goes well beyond horizontal issues, referring to an agreement between the Secretary General and DG SANCO before inter-service consultation has been launched; calls on the Commission to inform Parliament in detail about the content of the agreement and the reasoning behind the intervention of the Secretary General in that matter;
Amendment 266 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 180 a (new)
Paragraph 180 a (new)
180a. Notes that the Union is a under signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC); deems the implementation of Article 5(3) as a legally binding obligation to the Union; calls on the Commission to report on how the provisions of Article 5(3) have been implemented in the Union and its institutions, especially considering the following question: how far does implementation follow guidelines set by the WHO to Article 5(3); questions where and why the Commission has deviated from those guidelines?;
Amendment 276 #
2012/2167(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 209 a (new)
Paragraph 209 a (new)
209a. Considers that by June 2013, the Council will produce a roadmap on the multiple seats of Parliament, whereby Parliament's Secretary-General and its Bureau will provide Members with up-to- date figures and information on the financial and environmental impact of the multiple seat arrangement; wonders if it is possible that by the above mentioned date, the Commission provides information on the total costs, on an annual basis, of its presence in Strasbourg during session weeks;
Amendment 9 #
2012/2107(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas "The UN Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem" was submitted to separate simultaneous referenda on 24 April 2004 and approved by the Turkish Cypriot electorate by a margin of two to one;
Amendment 50 #
2012/2107(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes note of the conclusions of the Special Report of the Court of Auditors and in particular that ‘the programme has already achieved some positive results but their sustainability is often in doubt, particularly given the uncertainty over future EU funding’, and that the Commission ‘also found a way in the face of significant constraints to quickly set up a programme management office in the northern part of Cyprus and use largely suitable implementation methods and risk mitigation measures. The main weaknesses in the management of the programme resulted from the local support office not operating under more devolved procedures in the same way as EU delegations and from the staff contracts being too short for them to manage the projects financed from start to finish. In addition, monitoring in the framework of joint management with the UN was not sufficient’; expects to be informed in detail by the Commission which measures will be taken to remedy these constraints;
Amendment 73 #
2012/2107(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Regrets the loss of the seawater desalination plant project which was an unfortunate setback; recalls that this project was not only the main project in the water sector but also the largest bi-communal project funded under the instrument and that the plant was intended to provide 23 000 m3 of clean drinking water per day covering the needs of an estimated 100 000 people and recalls that water supply is becoming an increasingly critical issue for the island following a 40 % decrease in the mean annual rainfall in the past 30 years; is deeply concerned that theby cancellation ofing the project due to the restrictions, imposed by the Greek Cypriot contractor by the Turkish army means that this serious environmental issue will not be addressedthe underlying serious environmental issue has not been addressed; regrets with the Court of Auditors that the Commission did not react promptly to remedy this problem which would have allowed more time to save the project;, calls on the Commission to inform Parliament how and when this project can be re-started, in order to alleviate the dramatic consequences of sever drought caused by a 40% decrease of annual rainfall over the last 30 years;
Amendment 98 #
2012/2107(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Emphasizes that the main objectives of Regulation (EC) No 389/2006 is to facilitate the reunification of the islandprovide assistance to the Turkish Chypriot community which would facilitate the reunification objective and its alignment with the acquis communautaire; recommends reviewing once again the distribution of the aid to the TCc and the objective obstacles related to the sustainability of the projects; suggests considering whether large scale bi- communal infrastructure programs should still be pursued or a focus on smaller scale bi-communal projects, confidence building measures, the support of the civil society, the missing persons' related activities, the youth mobility, the preservation of historical sites should be considered instead;
Amendment 104 #
2012/2107(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Calls on the Commission to put in place without delay a mechanism with a multiannual perspective in order to ensure better planning, implementation and sustainability, as was recommended by the Court of Auditors and to inform Parliament of progress made before September 2013;expects also that in this way a more effective coordination and cooperation with the UN Agencies and Programmes can be guaranteed;
Amendment 129 #
2012/2092(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraphs 77 a, b, c, d, e, f, g (new)
Paragraphs 77 a, b, c, d, e, f, g (new)
Amendment 20 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is of the opinion that the Court should remain committed to independence, integrity, impartiality and professionalism, while building strong working relationships with its partners, namely the European Parliament, and including its responsiblemore specifically its budget control committee, but also the specialised committees, in the accountability process of the EU institutions;
Amendment 28 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Regrets that the Court of Auditors was – for the eighteenth time in a row – unable to grant a positive statement of assurance (DAS4) regarding the legality and regularity of payments; regrets, furthermore, in this context that after such an enormous and repetitive cycle and following the many efforts made, there has not been any change in this regard; highlights the fact that an error rate as such does notonly partially provide a comprehensive overview of the effectiveness of Union policies; __________________ 4 Abbreviation of the French term ‘Déclaration d'assurance’.
Amendment 34 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Deplores the fact that the commitment and efforts demonstrated by the Commission to reach a fully positive DAS have not yet provided satisfactory results; points out in particular that, in its 2011 statement of assurance report, the Court again concluded that overall payments were materially affected by error and that the supervisory and control systems in place were, in general, only partially effective;
Amendment 37 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Points out that in addition to delivering an opinion on the reliability of accounts, the Court of Auditors must deliver three opinions on the legality and regularity of underlying operations; takes the view that this excessive number of opinions makes it more difficult for Members of Parliament to assess the Commission's implementation of the budget;
Amendment 41 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Points out that the DAS is an annual indicator of an often multiannual spending scheme, which makes it difficult to capture the cyclical nature and effect of multiannual arrangements, and therefore the real impact and effectiveness of the management and control systems can only be measured at the end of the spending period; considers, therefore, that the Court should be able to present to the discharge authority a summary report on the final performance of a programming period;
Amendment 44 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is of the opinion that the current DAS framework adds limited value and that an independent DAS could be made on a cyclical basis and/or be delegated in part toCommission should increase the number of so-called ‘mini DAS’ exercises which follow the methodology of the Court in detail because is the Commission, which holds power with respect to controls-monitoring devices based on discovery sampling, such as the DAS; notes that the Commission already carries out ‘mini DAS’ exercises which follow the methodology of the Court in detail;
Amendment 49 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Points out that this would free up resources to allow the Court' to prioritise its efforts in favour of a much more robust, efficient and effective role in assessing the systemic risk involved for the EU in adopting macro- and micro-financial and prudential policies and activities, focusing on the effectiveness of the EU public and private sector financial architecture, taking into account the spill-over effects of the associated systemic risks; notes that this would allow the Court to signal an economic and financial crisis;
Amendment 57 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Believes that the moment has arrived to revisit and ‘re-engineer’ the mandate of the Court to suit present circumstances, taking account of the EU's present and future pressing needs; is of the opinion that the Court should be involved in the preparation of the Commission's work programme, providing advice as to the risks that may be encountered therein;
Amendment 61 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Highlights the fact that the Court's mandate, as established under the Treaty, provides the reference framework for the Court to fulfil its role as the independent external audit body of the Union; notes that the mandate provides for significant flexibility to allow the Court to carry out its mission beyond the scope of the DAS; recalls that the mandate enables the Court to present the results of its performance audits in special reports which provide significant opportunity to add value by focusing on high-risk areas and addressing topics of high interest to stakeholders;
Amendment 62 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Is of the opinion that the actual number of auditors after enlargement and considering the entry in the Union of future new Member-States is too high to be effective, expects that in the next revision of the Treaty the number will not be higher than 9, on a rotating bases between Member-States;
Amendment 72 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recommends, moreover, that the Court intervene in allspecific legislative proposals put forward by the Commission, providing advice during the conception period as to the financial and other risks involved, and also assisting the Commission to develop a new culture of performance, defining in their relevant legislative proposals and in their management procedures a number of targets and key performance indicators which meet the requirements of the Court of Auditors in terms of relevance, comparability and reliability;
Amendment 77 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point 1
Paragraph 16 – point 1
· provision of support and advice through the issue of comprehensive opinions to the Commission, Parliament and the Council on the preparation and discussion of the Union's programme andrelevant new draft legislative proposals;
Amendment 84 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Is of the opinion that while the Treaty of Lisbon re-affirmed the legal framework and independence of the Court in promoting public accountability, thereby tasking it with the important role of holding the Commission to account; notes that Parliament and the Council should also play an influential role in the definition of the Court's multiannual strategy plan;
Amendment 86 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Believes that preparatory tripartite meetings between Parliament, the Council and the Court could form a basis upon which to establish the Court's annual work programme; stresses that such structured preparatory dialogue could greatly assist in ensuring the effective and democratic accountability to citizens of the public funds put at stake to meet EU objectives;
Amendment 96 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls, therefore, for closer cooperation between national audit institutions and the European Court of Auditors in connection with the auditing of shared-management arrangements, pursuant to Article 287(3) TFEU; suggests that all national courts of auditors will be presented within the European Court of Auditors by a permanent delegate;
Amendment 129 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 – introductory part
Paragraph 32 – introductory part
32. Proposes, therefore, that the Court should be composed of the following bodiesdeleted:
Amendment 134 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 – point 1
Paragraph 32 – point 1
· a governing board consisting of the 28 heads of the national SAIs, which would meet three times per year to define the Court's annual and multiannual work programme, the possible improvement in the Court's functions and methodology, and the follow-up required on activities; the board should be chaired by the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union;deleted
Amendment 137 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 – point 2
Paragraph 32 – point 2
· a management board, of not more than nine members, composed of a representative sample of large and small Member States, with an appropriate gender balance, which would decide on how the mandate should be aligned with the Commission's term of office; the management board should be headed by the president of the Court and eight vice- presidents;deleted
Amendment 140 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 – point 3
Paragraph 32 – point 3
· the management board should be diverse and broad in its composition, and board members should have professional experience in management or auditing, in academic life or experience in political bodies; members of the Court should be especially qualified for their function and their independence must be assured beyond doubt;deleted
Amendment 147 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 – point c
Paragraph 33 – point c
(c) in the Committee on Budgetary Control, hearings will be public and the discussions will be relayed via video. At public hearings, discussion will be kept to a minimum, so as to prevent candidates from being subjected to to personal criticism in public;
Amendment 149 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 – point d
Paragraph 33 – point d
(d) Parliament will take its decisions based on the majority of the votes cast at the plenary sitting, and its opinion must be respected by the Council, candidates will be present during the vote and will be requested by the President of the EP after a negative vote if they will withdraw as a candidate;
Amendment 160 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 – point d
Paragraph 34 – point d
(d) candidates are not to hold any elected office or have any responsibilities to a political party as of the date of their appointment;
Amendment 162 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 – point e
Paragraph 34 – point e
(e) in view of the nature of the work to be done, the age of candidates will also be taken into account, with it being deemed reasonable, for example, to stipulate that Members should not be over 65 years of age at the end of their first term of office or over 70 years of age at the end of their second;deleted
Amendment 167 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 – point f
Paragraph 34 – point f
(f) it would be desirable for members not tomembers will not serve for more than two terms of office;
Amendment 173 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 – point a
Paragraph 36 – point a
(a) each recommendation on each nomination shall be submitted in the form of a report to be adopted based on the a majority of the votes cast and the report shall merely indicate the nomination;
Amendment 175 #
2012/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 – point e a (new)
Paragraph 36 – point e a (new)
(ea) The government of the candidate's Member State will be informed on the outcome of the vote in committee;
Amendment 5 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the development of drug resistance is a natural and unavoidable consequence of antimicrobial treatment; whereas this process can beis accelerated by inordinate and indiscriminate use in human and veterinary medicine, which, combined with insufficient hygiene and infection control, can as well as high-density animal husbandry, compromises the effective use of an already limited number of existing antimicrobials;
Amendment 11 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a complex issue driven by a variety of interconnected factors; whereas individual intervention measures will have minimal effectnumerous intervention measures at various levels are necessary, as isolated intervention measures will have only limited effect; whereas the pending revision of the veterinary legislation is an important opportunity to take effective measures to reduce AMR;
Amendment 18 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas there is a clear link between antimicrobials use in animals and the spread of resistance in humans, which requires further research; whe: high- density livestock is far more at risk of infections, and infections therein spread faster; high-density farming thus often relies on systematic prophylactic or sub- therapeutic use of antimicrobials to protect livestock from infections, which significantly increases there is a need for a coordinated, multisectoral policy approach to AMR targeting both practitioners and users in each sector risk of developing AMR; a significant percentage of meat for human consumption from high-density farming, in particular turkey and chicken meat, is regularly found to be contaminated with microbes that are resistant to antimicrobials; these resistances can be transferred to beneficial microbes in the human body upon human contact with the raw meat, which can lead to AMR in humans; while further research would be useful, enough is known to tackle unsustainable farming practices in a coordinated, multisectoral policy approach;
Amendment 30 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Notes that, although the Commission's action plan goes in the right direction, it does not go far enough to contain the rising threat from antimicrobial resistance;
Amendment 38 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission to propose clear obligations on Member States to effectively control the prudent use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, and to report about these controls;
Amendment 43 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that more efforts are needed to control the use of antimicrobials in the veterinary sector; strongly disapproves of the uncontrolled prophylacprophylactic or sub-therapeutic use of antimicrobials in animal husbandry;
Amendment 48 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Commission to draw up legislative proposals to reduce the maximum animal density in livestock farming to a level that respects animal welfare and is sustainable, not least to reduce the risk of infections and disease transmission;
Amendment 50 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the provisions for the authorization of veterinary medicines in the upcoming revision with a view to reducing AMR;
Amendment 52 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Calls on the Member States to phase out the prophylactic, metaphylactic and sub-therapeutic use of antimicrobials in livestock farming in national legislation and instead establish in a legally binding manner good practices for animal husbandry that prevent infections and thus reduce the risk of AMR, limiting antimicrobial use to effective treatment of infected animals only, as guidelines on prudent use have been unable to resolve the problem;
Amendment 54 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls further on the Commission to come up with a legislative proposal for the veterinary sector to limit the use of third- and fourth-generation CIAs forto humans; stresses that any such proposal must be founded on evidence-based European guidelines on the prudent use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine only;
Amendment 72 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes the important role of vaccines in limiting the development of AMR by reducing the amounts of antimicrobial agents required to treat infections but considers that this must not be a substitute for good animal husbandry;
Amendment 78 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls for a legally binding obligation to reduce the antimicrobial use in animal husbandry in the EU by at least 50% by 2018, compared to 2012 figures, for each class of antimicrobials;
Amendment 86 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, after having taken decisive action to minimize the unnecessary use of antimicrobials, to encourage efforts to develop new and innovative public-private partnership (PPP) business models that delink investment in R&D for new antibiotics and diagnostic tools from sales transactions, in order to promote greater access and affordability and limit the unnecessary use of antimicrobials;
Amendment 89 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Highlights the need to be restrictive with the use of CIAs andto the use in humans only and to be restrictive in the use of newly developed antimicrobial agents and technologies for use in human and veterinary medicine; stresses the importance of appropriately targeting the use of CIAs to specific casescases where their use is strictly necessary;
Amendment 90 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to examine new regulatory approaches, including transferable intellectual property rights and patent term extensionrize funds, with a view to encouraging private-sector investment in antimicrobial development;
Amendment 102 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the importance of establishing an effective European network of national surveillance systems in the human health and veterinary sectors in order to facilitatensure the compilation of clear, comparable, transparent and timely reference data on antimicrobial drug usage; believes this should be based on the existing monitoring networks operated by EFSA, the ECDC European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-net), the ECDC European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-net), and the EMA European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC);
Amendment 107 #
2012/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Commission in the context of the upcoming review of the legislation on veterinary medicines to propose clear reporting obligations on all pharmaceutical companies, veterinarians and farmers, respectively, about the amount of antimicrobials that they sell, prescribe and use, respectively;
Amendment 2 #
2012/2017(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that decommissioning will be an increasingly important issue in the coming years because already now one third of the 143 reactors operating in 14 Member States will need to be shut down by 20257 and many others will follow;
Amendment 27 #
2012/2017(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Remains concerned, however, that the shut-down of reactors is, in some cases, not yet irreversible; requests there for renewed assurances from the governments concerned
Amendment 41 #
2012/2017(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Questions the fact that of this amount 60 % went to decommissioning and 40 % to mitigation measures, calls on the commission to provide its competent committees with the underlying figures/contracts/ projects leading to these percentages;
Amendment 78 #
2012/2017(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. NotesIs strongly opposed to the fact that considerable sums of money had been used on operational costs; regrets a situation where the money spent on operational costs of the nuclear power plants could actually represent an incentive to keep the nuclear power plants running;
Amendment 99 #
2012/2017(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
Amendment 327 #
2012/0305(COD)
3a. Fire protection systems and fire 1 January 2017 extinguishers that contain fluorinated greenhouse gases
Amendment 10 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Given the proven negative impacts of the Union's biofuels policy on the enjoyment of the right to food in a number of developing countries, the obligation under Article 3(4) of Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable energy sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/777/EC and 2003/30/EC that requires Member States to ensure that the share of energy from renewable energy sources in all forms of transport in 2020 is at least 10% of their final energy consumption. The blending of biofuels is one of the methods available for Member States to meet this target, and is expected to be the main contributor should be removed.
Amendment 11 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1 a) The need to reduce energy consumption in the transport sector is imperative because a percentage target for energy from renewable sources is likely to become increasingly difficult to achieve sustainably if overall demand for energy for transport continues to rise. The use of electricity from renewable energy sources and blending of zero and low iLUC biofuels are other methods available for Member States to meet this target.
Amendment 12 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) In view of the Union's objectives to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the significant contribution that road transport fuels make to those emissions, Article 7a(2) of Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EC requires fuel suppliers to reduce by at least 6% by 31 December 2020 the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy (‘"greenhouse gas intensity’") of fuels used in the Union by road vehicles, non-road mobile machinery, agricultural and forestry tractors and recreational craft when not at sea. The blending of zero or low direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions biofuels is one of the methods available for fossil fuel suppliers to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the fossil fuels supplied.
Amendment 14 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Based on forecasts of biofuel demand provided by the Member States and estimates of indirect land-use change emissions for different biofuel feedstocks it is likely that, greenhouse gas emissions linked to indirect land use change are significant, and couldwill negate some or all of theany greenhouse gas savings of individual biofuels. This is because almost the entire biofuel production in 2020 is expected to come from crops grown on land that could be used to satisfy food and feed markets. In orderdirect land-use changes therefore need to be taken into account so as to preduce such emissionsvent these potential sources of emissions from undermining efforts to meet the Union's renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission targets. In order to reduce indirect land-use change and land grabbing, it is appropriate therefore to distinguish between crop gland-based energy croups such as (oil crops, cereals, sugars and other starch containing crops accordingly) on the one hand, and non-land-based biofuels on the other hand. Furthermore, EU public subsidies for the biofuels industry (10 billion EUR per year) incentivise land-use change and land-grabbing and should be phased out by 2020 at the latest.
Amendment 18 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Liquid renewable fuels are likely to be required by the transport sector in order to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Advanced biofuels, such as those made from wastes and algae, provide high greenhouse gas savings with low risk of causing indirect land use change and do not compete directly for agricultural land for the food and feed markets. It is appropriate, therefore, to encourage greater production of suchome advanced biofuels as these are currently not commercially available in large quantities, in part due to competition for public subsidies with established food crop based biofuel technologies. Further incentives should be provided by increasing the weighting of advanced biofuels towards 10% target for transport set in Directive 2009/28/EC compared to conventional biofuels. In this context, only advanced biofuels with low estimated indirect land use change impacts and high overall greenhouse gas savings should be supported as part of the post 2020 renewable energy policy framework.
Amendment 20 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) In order to ensure the long-term competitiveness of bio-based industrial sectors, and in line with the 2012 Communication ‘'Innovating for Sustainable growth: A Bioeconomy for Europe’' and the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe , promoting integrated and diversified biorefineries across Europe, enhanced incentives under Directive 2009/28/EC should be set in a way that gives preference to the use of biomass feedstocks that do not have a high economic value for other uses than biofuels. It is also essential to make sure that EU waste policies remain consistent and that the waste hierarchy set out in Article 4 of Directive 2008/98/EC is applied. No negative incentives that could jeopardise proper implementation of this directive should be created.
Amendment 21 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7 a) The use of biomass resources involves significant opportunity costs linked to the depletion or loss of ecosystem services. Member States should refrain from subsidizing or mandating energy use of feedstocks where their diversion from existing uses would have a negative impact on land rights, food rights, biodiversity, soil or overall carbon balance. Policies should also ensure a cascade of biomass use, with safeguards to ensure that resources are not diverted from high societal added value applications to low value energy use.
Amendment 22 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The minimumtotal greenhouse gas saving threshold foremissions from biofuels and bioliquids produced in new installations should be increased with effect from 1st July 2014progressively decreased in order to improve their overall greenhouse gas balance as well as discouraging further investments in installations with low greenhouse gas savings performance. This indecrease provides for investment safeguards in biofuels and bioliquids production capacities in conformity with Article 19(6) second subparagraph.
Amendment 23 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) To prepare for the transition towards advanced biofuels and minimiseminimise the negative impacts on land rights and land speculation, food rights and food commodities prices, biodiversity, soil and the overall indirect land use change impacts in the period to 2020, it is appropriate to limit the amount of biofuels and bioliquids obtained from food and other energy crops as set out in part A of Annex VIII to Directive 2009/28/EC and part A of Annex V to Directive 98/70/EC that can be counted towards targets set out in Directive 2009/28/EC. Without restricting the overall use of such biofuels, the share of biofuels and bioliquids produced from cereal and other starch rich crops, sugar and oil. The share of land- based biofuels and bioliquid crops that can be counted towards the targets ofransport fuel target under Directive 2009/28/EC should be limited to the share of such biofuels and bioliquids consumed in 2011progressively reduced until 2020, when this share will be equal to zero.
Amendment 24 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The 50% limit set up in Article 3(4)d does not affect the Member States' freedom to arrange their own trajectory as to compliancey with this prescribed share of conventional biofuels within the overall 10% target. As a consequence, the access to the market of the biofuels produced by the installations in operation before the end of 2013 remains fully open. Therefore this amending directive does not affect the legitimate expectations of the operators of such installations.
Amendment 26 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The estimatedIn order to make sure that Union targets for greenhouse gas emission savings and biofuels are meaningful and effective, indirect land-use change emissions should be included in the reportaken into account when calculating ofthe greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels under savings required under the sustainability criteria set out in Directive 2009/28/EC and Directives 98/70/EC and 2009/28/EC. Indirect land-use change emissions should also be counted towards the target set in Article 7a (2), in order to offer incentives for the production of biofuels with a low indirect land-use change impact. Biofuels made from feedstocks that do not lead to additional demand for land, such as those from waste feedstocks, should be assigned a zero emissions factor. .
Amendment 32 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) The Commission should review the effectiveness of the measures introduced by this Directive, based on the best and latest available scientific evidence, in limiting indirect land-use change greenhouse gas emissions and addressing ways to further minimise that impact, which could include the introduction of estimated indirect land-use change emission factors in the sustainability scheme as of 1st January 2021.
Amendment 35 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 2 – point b a (new)
Article 1 – point 2 – point b a (new)
Directive 98/70/EC
Article 7 b – paragraph 5a (new)
Article 7 b – paragraph 5a (new)
(ba) The following paragraph is inserted "5a. Biofuels and bioliquids taken into account for the purposes referred to in paragraph 1 shall not be made from wastes, unless independently verified as conforming to the waste hierarchy, namely prevention, preparation for re-use and recycling before recovery for energy purposes, as outlined in Directive 2008/98/EC."
Amendment 36 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 3 – point -a (new)
Article 1 – point 3 – point -a (new)
Directive 98/70/CE
Article 7d – paragraph 1
Article 7d – paragraph 1
(-a) Paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: "1. For the purposes of Article 7a and Article 7b(2), life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels shall be calculated as follows: (a) where a default value for greenhouse gas emission savings for the production pathway is laid down in part A or B of Annex IV and where the el value for those biofuels or bioliquids calculated in accordance with point 7 of part C of Annex IV is equal to or less than zero, and where the estimated indirect land-use change emissions are zero in accordance with part B of Annex V, by using that default value; (b) by using an actual value calculated in accordance with the methodology laid down in part C of Annex IV adding the estimates for indirect land-use change emissions set out in Annex V; (c) by using a value calculated as the sum of the factors of the formula referred to in point 1 of part C of Annex IV, where disaggregated default values in part D or E of Annex IV may be used for some factors, and actual values, calculated in accordance with the methodology laid down in part C of Annex IV, for all other factors, adding the estimates for indirect land-use change emissions set out in Annex V."
Amendment 40 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point -i (new)
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point -i (new)
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – first subparagraph
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – first subparagraph
(-i) The first subparagraph is replaced by the following: "Each Member State may ensure that energy from renewable energy sources in all forms of transport in 2020 represents a share of the final consumption of energy in transport in that Member State."
Amendment 41 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point -i a(new)
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point -i a(new)
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – second sub–paragraph (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – second sub–paragraph (new)
(-ia) after the first subparagraph, the following subparagraph is inserted: "For the purposes of the first subparagraph, each Member State shall ensure that the share of: (a) electricity from renewable energy sources used in all forms of transport in 2020 is at least 2% of the final consumption of energy in transport in that Member State (b) energy from biofuels produced from cereal and other starch rich crops, sugar crops, oil crops and non-food energy crops shall be 0% of the final consumption of energy in transport by 2020."
Amendment 42 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point i a (new)
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point i a (new)
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – second subparagraph – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – second subparagraph – point c
Amendment 43 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point ii
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point ii
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – second subparagraph – point d (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – second subparagraph – point d (new)
"(d) for the calculation of biofuels in the numerator, the share of energy from biofuels produced from cereal and other starch rich crops, sugars and crops, oil crops shall be no more than 5%, the estimated share at the end of 2011, of the final consumption of energy in transportand non-food energy crops shall equal zero in 2020."
Amendment 46 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e –subpoint i (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e –subpoint i (new)
Amendment 47 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e – subpoint ii (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e – subpoint ii (new)
(ii) biofuels produced from feedstocks listed in Part B of Annex IX shall be considered to be twice their energy content after prior scientific assessment of their environmental and social sustainability;
Amendment 48 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e – subpoint iii
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e – subpoint iii
Amendment 49 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point iii
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e – second subparagraph (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point e – second subparagraph (new)
Member States shall ensure that no raw materials are intentionally modified to be covered by categories (i) to (iii)aterials that have been intentionally modified to count as waste shall not be covered by categories (i) to (iii). Member States shall ensure that when fraud is detected, the feedstock or biofuel in question shall not be counted towards the target referred to in Article 3 paragraph 4 and shall ensure that appropriate action is taken in order to prevent any further fraudulent action.
Amendment 51 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 5 – point b a (new)
Article 2 – point 5 – point b a (new)
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 17 – paragraph 5a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 5a (new)
(ba) the following paragraph is inserted "5a. Biofuels and bioliquids taken into account for the purposes referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of paragraph 1 shall not be made from wastes, unless independently verified as conforming to the waste hierarchy, namely prevention, preparation for re-use and recycling before recovery for energy purposes, as outlined in Directive 2008/98/EC."
Amendment 54 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 6
Article 2 – point 6
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 18 – paragraph 4 – second subparagraph
Article 18 – paragraph 4 – second subparagraph
"The Commission mayshall decide that voluntary national or international schemes setting standards for the production of biomass products contain accurate data for the purposes of Article 17(2) or demonstrate that consignments of biofuel or bioliquid comply with the sustainability criteria set out in Article 17(3) to (5a), and that no materials have been intentionally modified in order to be covered by Article 3(4)(e)(i) to (iii). The Commission may decide that those schemes contain accurate data for the purposes of information on measures taken for the conservation of areas that provide, in critical situations, basic ecosystem services (such as watershed protection and erosion control), for soil, water and air protection, the restoration of degraded land, the avoidance of excessive water consumption in areas where water is scarce and on the issues referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 17(7). The Commission may also recognise areas for the protection of rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems or species recognised by international agreements or included in lists drawn up by intergovernmental organisations or the International Union for the Conservation of Nature for the purposes of Article 17 (3)(b) (ii)."
Amendment 55 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 7 – point -a (new)
Article 2 – point 7 – point -a (new)
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 19 – paragraph 1
Article 19 – paragraph 1
(-a) paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: "1. For the purposes of Article 17(2), the greenhouse gas emission saving from the use of biofuel and bioliquids shall be calculated as follows: (a) where a default value for greenhouse gas emission saving for the production pathway is laid down in part A or B of Annex V and where the el value for those biofuels or bioliquids calculated in accordance with point 7 of part C of Annex V is equal to or less than zero, and where the estimated indirect land-use change emissions are zero in accordance with part B of Annex VIII, by using that default value; (b) by using an actual value calculated in accordance with the methodology laid down in part C of Annex V adding the estimates for indirect land-use change emissions set out in Annex VIII; (c) by using a value calculated as the sum of the factors of the formula referred to in point 1 of part C of Annex V, where disaggregated default values in part D or E of Annex V may be used for some factors, and actual values, calculated in accordance with the methodology laid down in part C of Annex V, for all other factors, adding the estimates for indirect land-use change emissions set out in Annex VIII."
Amendment 57 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 2
Annex 1 – point 2
Directive 98/70/EC
Annex V – Part A – additional line in the table (new)
Annex V – Part A – additional line in the table (new)
an additional line is added to the table in Part A. Estimated indirect land-use change emissions from biofuel and bioliquid feedstocks: Feedstock Group: Non-food energy crops Estimated indirect land-use change emissions (gCO2eq/MJ): 15
Amendment 58 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 2
Annex 1 – point 2
Directive 98/70/EC
Annex V – part B – point b (new)
Annex V – part B – point b (new)
(b) feedstocks whose production has led to direct land use change, i.e. a change from one of the followingnot taken place on cropland, perennial cropland or land in any other IPCC land cover categories; y (forest land, grassland, wetlands, settlements, or other land, to cropland or perennial cropland . In such a case a “direct land use change emission value (el)” should have been calculated in accordance to Part C, paragraph 7 of Annex IV) used for food production, whether managed or unmanaged, such as agricultural and silvopastoral systems.
Amendment 59 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex 2 – point 2
Annex 2 – point 2
Directive 2009/28/EC
Annex VIII – Part A – additional line in the table (new)
Annex VIII – Part A – additional line in the table (new)
an additional line is added to the table in Part A. Estimated indirect land-use change emissions from biofuel and bioliquid feedstocks: Feedstock Group: Non-food energy crops Estimated indirect land-use change emissions (gCO2eq/MJ): 15
Amendment 60 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex 2 – point 2
Annex 2 – point 2
Directive 2009/28/EC
Annex VIII – Part B – point b (new)
Annex VIII – Part B – point b (new)
(b) feedstocks whose production has led to direct land use change, i.e. a change from one of the followingnot taken place on cropland, perennial cropland or land in any other IPCC land cover categories; y (forest land, grassland, wetlands, settlements, or o) used for food production, whether lmand, to cropland or perennial cropland. Inaged or unmanaged, such a case a “direct land use change emission value (el)” should have been calculated in accordance to Part C, paragraph 7 of Annex Vgricultural and silvopastoral systems.
Amendment 61 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex 2 – point 3
Annex 2 – point 3
Directive 2009/28/EC
Annex IX (new)
Annex IX (new)
Amendment 62 #
2012/0288(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex 2 – point 3
Annex 2 – point 3
Directive 2009/28/EC
Annex IX (new)
Annex IX (new)
'Annex IX Part A. Feedstocks whose contribution towards the target referred to in Article 3(4) shall be considered to be four times their energy content (a) Algae. (b)shall be considered to be twice their energy content A. Sustainability safeguards Member States shall put safeguards in place for the use of any waste or residues, to ensure that the use as transport fuel conforms to the waste hierarchy, namely prevention, preparation for re-use and recycling before recovery for energy purposes, as outlined in Directive 2008/98/EC, and to ensure a cascade of use. For the use of biotic sources, Member States shall introduce safeguards to protect biodiversity and against the depletion or loss of ecosystem services, and to prevent any diversion from existing uses that would have a negative indirect or direct impact on biodiversity, soil or overall carbon balance. Subject to sustainability safeguards adopted by Member States, the following feedstocks are eligible for advanced biofuels: B. List of feedstock : - Biomass fraction of mixed municipal waste, but not separated household waste subject to recycling targets under Article 11(2)(a) of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives. (c)- Biomass fraction of industrial waste. (d)- Straw. (e)- Animal manure and sewage sludge. (f) Palm oil mill effluent and empty palm fruit bunches. (g)- Tall oil pitch. (h)- Crude glycerine. (i)- Bagasse. (j)- Grape marcs and wine lees. (k)- Nut shells. (l)- Husks. (m)- Cobs (n) Bark, branches, leaves, saw dust and cutter shavings. Part B. Feedstocks whose contribution towards the target referred to in Article 3(4) shall be considered to be twice their energy content (a) Used cooking oil. (b) Animal fats classified as category I and II in accordance with EC/1774/2002 laying down health rules concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption. (c). - Used cooking oil - Non-food cellulosic material. (d)- Ligno-cellulosic material except saw logs and veneer logs.'
Amendment 9 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Following the judgment of the Court of Justice of 6 September 2011 in case C- 442/09, pollen in honey is to be considered as an ingredientderived from genetically modified crops is to be considered as an ingredient of honey, or of food supplements containing pollen, within the meaning of Directive 2000/13/ECRegulation 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advert5 October 2011 on the provisiong of foodstuffs. The judgment of the Court was based on the consideration relying on the facts brought before it that pollen in honey is mainly due to the centrifugation carried out by the beekeeper for the purposes of honey collection. However, pollen only enters into the hive as a result of the activity of the bees and it is naturally present in honey regardless of whether or not the beekeeper extracts the honey through centrifugation. It is necessary therefore to clarify, without prejudice to the application of Regulation information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1829925/20036 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed to genetically modified pollen in honey, that pollen is a constituent of honey, which is a natural substance that has no ingredients, and not an ingredient within the meaning of Directive 2000/13/EC. Therefore, Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey should be amended accordingly2/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004.
Amendment 16 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) As honey is a natural product, it should be exempted from the requirement to bear a list of ingredients.
Amendment 19 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
(1b) In accordance with Directive 2001/18 and Regulation 1829/2003, the unintended presence of substances containing genetically modified DNA and/or genetically modified proteins in honey has to be avoided.
Amendment 21 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 c (new)
Recital 1 c (new)
(1 c) In accordance with Regulation 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed, honey and other foods or food supplements containing pollen derived from genetically modified crops are to be labelled as foodstuffs containing ingredients produced from genetically modified organisms.
Amendment 22 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 d (new)
Recital 1 d (new)
(1d) Regulation 1169/2011 indicates that an ingredient is a substance used in the manufacture of a food. It is indispensable for the production of honey and for the pollination of crops that bees are intentionally placed to visit certain plant species, as the composition of honey mainly depends on where the bee-hives are located and when it is harvested. Pollen derived from genetically modified crops should therefore be regarded as ingredient species-specifically.
Amendment 23 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 e (new)
Recital 1 e (new)
(1e) The presence in honey of pollen originating from genetically modified organisms is, like the presence of GMO in any other harvest, technically avoidable by implementing adequate coexistence measures.
Amendment 24 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 f (new)
Recital 1 f (new)
(1f) Coexistence measures at member state level established in accordance with Article 26a of Directive 2001/18 should ensure that standard analyses of honey are not necessary, inter alia by setting minimum distance requirements.
Amendment 25 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 g (new)
Recital 1 g (new)
(1g) Pollen enters into the honey both as a result of the activity of bees and as a result of centrifugation conducted by the beekeeper. As bees are purposefully placed to collect certain plant-specific pollen, and as the beekeeper purposefully carries out centrifugation, the presence of pollen in honey cannot be regarded as adventitious.
Amendment 28 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
Amendment 31 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
Amendment 40 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – point 5
Article 2 – point 5
Amendment 48 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 a (new)
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – point 5
Article 2 – point 5
(1a) In Article 2, the following point is added: "5. By way of derogation from Article 9 of Regulation 1169/2011, a list of ingredients shall not be required for honey."
Amendment 49 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 b (new)
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – point 6
Article 2 – point 6
(1b) In Article 2, the following point is added: “6. Honey and other foods or food supplements containing pollen derived from genetically modified crops are to be considered as foodstuffs containing ingredients produced from genetically modified organisms and have to be labelled in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, and in particular Art 12 (2) and 24 (2) thereof.”
Amendment 50 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 c (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 c (new)
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – point 7
Article 2 – point 7
(1c) In Article 2, the following point is added: “7. For the purpose of labelling of pollen originating from genetically modified organisms, the labelling threshold referred to in Articles 12 (2) and 24 (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 has to be calculated species-specifically.”
Amendment 52 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 6
Article 6
Amendment 57 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 6a– point 3
Article 6a– point 3
The delegation of power referred to in Articles 4 and 6 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of the delegated acts already in force.
Amendment 61 #
2012/0260(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Article 1, point (1) by [dat12 months after the date of entry into force]. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions.
Amendment 2 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
Points out that in overall terms the total cost of tax evasion and tax avoidance in the EU is higher than the total of all health care budgets in the Union, and that if tax evasion and tax avoidance could be stopped all EU deficits could be paid off in just 8.8 years*2; 1 Closing the European Tax Gap, A report for Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament by Richard Murphy FCA, Director, Tax Research UK. 2 Closing the European Tax Gap, A report for Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament by Richard Murphy FCA, Director, Tax Research UK.Or. en
Amendment 6 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the definition of tax havens is no longer up-to-date and that (semi-)legal ways of avoiding or reducing tax liabilities are becoming more and more common in the Member States: for instance, transfers by ‘postbox companies’ in and through the Netherlands are estimated to amount to EUR 8000 billion a year alone, but this notwithstanding the fact that the Netherlands Parliament recently adopted a resolution1 condemning the qualification of the Netherlands as a tax haven;
Amendment 10 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that massive tax evasion and tax avoidance by larger companies has a devastating effect on the taxpaying discipline of smaller companies and even individuals, since it makes tax evasion and tax avoidance appear to be the accepted norm;.
Amendment 21 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Amendment 24 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Supports the call by the OECD and the G20 for a global and comprehensive action plan based on an in-depth analysis of the identified practices of base erosion and profit shifting with a view to provide concrete solutions to realign international standards with the current global business environment;
Amendment 28 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls on the Commission to specifically address the problem of hybrid mismatches between different tax systems in the Member States;
Amendment 29 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Amendment 30 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12c. Suggests, in the meantime, that, before a bilateral tax agreement is signed or finally concluded, the text should be submitted to the Commission, which will a formulate a public and motivated opinion within one month;
Amendment 31 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 d (new)
Paragraph 12 d (new)
12d. Reiterates the importance of country- by-country reporting by companies engaged in cross-border activities and emphasises that this also holds for financial institutions;
Amendment 32 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 e (new)
Paragraph 12 e (new)
12e. Encourages the Commission and the Council to discuss how the approximation of legislation concerning the corporate tax base can be further developed, inter alia with a view to addressing tax avoidance and to regularly inform the European Parliament about these discussions and their conclusions;
Amendment 33 #
2012/0000(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 f (new)
Paragraph 12 f (new)
12f. Calls on the Commission to submit proposals barring companies from European tenders and from European subsidies if they have been found guilty of tax evasion;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2237(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with concern that the Court of Auditors draws attention to the requirement for substantially increased resources for the ITER project compared to the indicative total resources deemed necessary for the period 2007 - 2014; strongly recommends to re-evaluate the project and its (future) financial needs, and asks the Commission to calculate the costs involved in discontinuing the project;
Amendment 1 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls that the current Chair of the Management Board failed, in 2010, to declare her membership of the board of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI); notes that ILSI is financed by firms in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors; asks the Authority to take measures to prohibit its experts and staff from being ILSI members;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ...Calls on the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority dischargeto inform the discharge authority by the 30 June 2012 of the measures taken and of the improvements made in all the areas of concern and decides to postpone the discharge to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2010;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Observes that the European Economic and Social Committee published an opinion on GMOs in the EU on 6 December 2011, which reiterates the Environment Council's demands from December 2008 concluding that improvements are deemed necessary in relation to the Authority's assessments of environmental risk; asks for a greater role to be given for external expertise from Member States and independent scientists, and for the publishing of experimental data supplied by the applicants;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ...Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority discharge in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2010;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Observes that the European Ombudsman, on 7 December 2011, concluded that the Authority had not carried out as thorough an assessment of a potential conflict of interest arising from the move of a Head of Unit of the Authority to a biotechnology company as it should have done, and called on the Authority to improve the way it applies its rules and procedures to avoid future 'revolving door' cases involving staff members;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Regrets the omissions from declarations of interests and of breaches of Article 16 of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union in several areas (notably GMOs and sweeteners) which have recurred since 2008; considers that such incidents seriously undermine the Authority's credibility ;
Amendment 6 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Urges the Authority to take practical steps to counter the problems it encounters, which shall include: - explaining how the Authority will assess the severity of the potential conflicts of interest identified ; - drafting proposals to tackle the problem of the 'revolving door' system, which allows senior experts to move to the private sector to take up a post in the area they were 'controlling' as a civil servant and similar moves from the private sector to the Authority; considers that it should draw up guidelines, pursuant to Article 16 of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union, to be implemented by the Authority's staff ; - implementing penalties for deliberate omissions from declarations of interests.
Amendment 7 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. ICalls ofn the opinion, on the basis of the data available, that discharge can be grantedAgency, therefore, to inform the discharge authority by June 2012 of the measures taken and the improvements made in respect of all these areas of concern and considers that discharge to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2010 should be postponed until the abovementioned problems have been resolved.
Amendment 8 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
Postpones the discharge to the agency awaiting substantial replies and actions on the critical remarks and requests made
Amendment 17 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Considers that, while a dialogue with industry on product assessment methodologies is legitimate and necessary, this dialogue should not undermine the independence of the Authority nor the integrity of risk assessment procedures; asks therefore the Authority to consider as a conflict of interest the current or recent past participation of its Management Board, panel and working group members or staff to International Life Science Institute (ILSI) activities such as taskforces, scientific committees or chairs for conferences;
Amendment 24 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Considers that product assessment should not be based solely on industry's data, but should duly take into account independent scientific literature published in peer reviewed journals; stresses that extra caution should be paid to industry influence in the elaboration of guidelines and assessment methodologies, which should not favour industry-sponsored studies on speculative grounds and which should be elaborated in an open, transparent and balanced manner;
Amendment 28 #
2011/2226(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Welcomes that the Authority has adopted a new definition of conflicts of interests, based on the OECD definition, but warns that further improvements are necessary to strengthen the Authority's policy on independence; stresses in particular that the criteria that define a conflict of interests should be clarified and widened, and include current and recent past activities;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2217(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ...Grants the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2010;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2217(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. ....Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2010;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2217(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 b (new)
Subheading 1 b (new)
Postpones the discharge to the Agency awaiting substantial replies and actions on the critical remarks and requests made
Amendment 23 #
2011/2217(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that, for five months, from 22 May 2010 to October 2010, the Agency covered its building with a green façade which cost EUR 294 641 and that the contract was realised by the companies Ramboll, as general contractor, and Green Fortune; is surprisednotes that there has been no public tender; demands from the Agency's Director detaicalls on how the cCompanies were chosen as contractors; takes note from the Agency's Director, in her letter of 11 April 2012, that these costs were covered by the budget lines ‘2140 - Fitting-out of premises’ (EUR 180 872) and ‘3323 - Communications’ (EUR 113 769); underlines that the commitment appropriations under budget line 2140 increased from EUR 85 000 to EUR 271 049 against the opinion of the Agency's Head of Administration; notes that also in May 2010 the Head of Administration entered into sick leave and sincemission to report to the Parliaments competent committees if the relevant then the position is occupied by an interim Head; notes from the Director's letter of 30 April 2012 that budget line 2140 has been reinforced by a budget transfer of EUR 180 872 from the budget line ‘2100 - Rent’; recalls that in December 2009 the Agency paid the rent for Q1 2010, thus avoiding reducing the amount to be repaid to the Commission; therefore callder procedures were correctly applied and if the financing of the project was oin the Agency to explain the discharge authority why it has extracted EUR 180 872 from the budget line ‘Rent’, while rent is a fixed sum by contract, and to provide information and written evidence on the procedures with regards to the budgetary transfers; expects the Agency to complete all the requested actions by the end of August 2012;line with the relevant financial rules
Amendment 35 #
2011/2217(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 56 #
2011/2217(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is seriously concerned that in 2010,Notes that while the Executive Director was directly involved with Earthwatch, 29 staff members of the Agency, including the Executive Director, went for up to 10 days of research on different biodiversity projects in the Caribbean or Mediterranean managed by Earthwatch and that the Agency paid a total of EUR 33 791,28, to the NGO as stated by the Agency's Executive Director, is of the opinion that this type of expenditure needs in future an ex ante endorsement of the managing board based on an proper cost benefit assessment;
Amendment 62 #
2011/2217(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Is surprised that Worldwatch Institute Europe founded on 5 November 2010 indicated as its address that of the Agency and used its premises as its own without any rent to the Agency, thus using premises paid by the EU budget; regrets that the Director's letter of 30 April 2012 refers only to Worldwatch Institute US based there and not to the Worldwatch Institute Europe which used the Agency's premises without any rent;, takes further note that executive director of Worldwatch Institute Europe was an Agency's guest scientist; calls on the Agency to provide the discharge authority with concrete details and documentary evidencCommission to inform the Budget Control Committee onf this matter, including the person in the Agency who authorised this, the concrete date when Worldwatch Institute Europe ceased to use the Agency's premises, as well as whether the work performed by the respective guest scientist of the Agency was published under the Worldwatch Institute Europe name or that of the Agency by the end of August 2012e rules applicable on the use of- or the address of premises of the European Institutions by third parties, including the financial consequences of this use;
Amendment 10 #
2011/2207(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the CoR to limit increases of future budgets to a strict minimum and to finance new or extended activities primarily from savings and rationalisation of existing expenditure;
Amendment 14 #
2011/2207(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the fact that the CoR and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) finally obtained EMAS (EU Eco- Management and Audit Scheme) certification on 27 December 2011; would like to informed about the total of energy from renewable sources used , including how many (potential) square metres of solar are, or will be, installed;
Amendment 15 #
2011/2207(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is pleased with the results set out in the mid-term review of the functioning of the administrative cooperation agreement between the CoR and the EESC; notes in particular that in establishing joint services the two Committees have been able to make budget savings; would like the Committees to implement the recommendations relating to personnel (further harmonisation of rules), social and medical services and internal services; would like to be informed before the next discharge procedure on the amount of savings made;
Amendment 17 #
2011/2207(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reconfirms its position that, in the interests of transparency, declarations of financial interests, including regular updates, of members of all institutions should be accessible on the Internet; in this context, is pleased to note that the CoR's Bureau decided, in December 2011, to make members' declarations of financial interests available online, in the section of the website devoted to information on members;
Amendment 6 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee/Postpones discharge in respect of the implementation of the Economic and Social Committee budget for the financial year 2010;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Calls on the EESC to limit increases to its budgets in the coming years to an absolute minimum and to finance new and extended activities primarily though savings;
Amendment 14 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Warns, however,Notes that more clarity will beis needed, on the conditions for issuing confirmations of attendance, the rationale behind the allowance provided for in Article 12 and the reasons for reimbursement for taking part in video conferences; keenly awaits the results of the negotiations between the EESC and the Council on a definitive and satisfactory solution to all these issues, for which the decision depends on the Council;
Amendment 18 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Reconfirms its position that, in the interests of transparency, regularly updated declarations of financial interests of members of all institutions should be accessible on the Internet; in that context, notes with satisfaction the decision by the EESC Bureau providing for publication ofat the declarations of financial interests of its members were published as of the beginning of 2012;
Amendment 21 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the fact that the two committees – the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee – finally managed to obtain Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) certification on 27 December 2011; would like to be informed on an annual basis which progress has been planned and/or made to further reduce the negative impact on the environment by the Committees activities;
Amendment 25 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers the summary of the internal audit service's activities to be of insufficient quality for Parliament to be able to assess the monitoring and control mechanisms at the EESC; stresses that the summary should be both informative and relevant; calls on the EESC to send without delay a re-drafted version to its competent committee;
Amendment 27 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Found Annex D to the annual activity report, containing activity and performance indicators, to be very useful; is concerned by the fact that 12.3% of the interpreting service requested was cancelled, at a cost of EUR 913 344; would like to be informed which urgent measures are taken to remedy this problem;
Amendment 29 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. HopeExpects that the annual activity report will, in future, also include an exhaustive table of all the human resources at the EESC's disposal, broken down by category, grade, sex, participation in professional training and nationality;
Amendment 34 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Deplores, with regard to the alleged irregularities uncoverExpects to be promptly and fully informed inby the 2009 discharge procedure, the fact that the EESC Secretary-General did not provide sufficient explanation in response to questions highlEESC President and its Secretary-General on the ongoing proceedings and the outcome, of the investighating not only instances of bad administrative practice and the pressing need for internal procedures to be improved, but also, which is more serious, the recurring suspicions that interest in sound economic management of the instituons by OLAF ,the European Ombudsman and the case pending before the Court of Justice on alleged irregularities concerning Staff Re gulations and of the EU budget is being abandimplementing rules, as mentioned, in particular through the failure to resolve staff conflicts; notes that all these questions have led, inter alia, to allegations being submitted to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the European Ombudsman and the Court of Justice, not only by officials but also by members of the EESCt the 2009 discharge resolution; reserves the right on the basis of the information provided to question further those involved in this case;
Amendment 36 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 40 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 43 #
2011/2206(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
Amendment 6 #
2011/2205(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Wishes to see confirmation as soon as possibleInsists that the declarations of financial interests of , including non remunerated posts held by Members of the Court of Auditors have beenare published on the internet without delay via a public register and updated twice a year , in the interests of transparency;
Amendment 9 #
2011/2205(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that in 2010 the Court of Auditors published two annual reports, 40 special annual reports (2009: 37), 14 special reports (2009: 18) and six opinions (2009: 1); strongly suggests that the Court of Auditors evaluates the effects and the implementation of its conclusions contained in the special reports one year after publication, informing the Committee on Budgetary Control of its findings;
Amendment 14 #
2011/2205(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the fact that the number of posts dedicated to audit tasks increased by 6 %; is however of the opinion that the number of staff in the Members' private offices should be reduced to a maximum of 3 per Auditor;
Amendment 25 #
2011/2205(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Encourages the Court of Auditors to perform an in-depth assessment of supervisory and control systems in the Council before the end of 2012, as mentioned in Parliament's resolution on discharge for 2009 (paragraph 8);
Amendment 26 #
2011/2205(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Awaits with interest the ‘follow-up peer review’ that the Court of Auditors intends to launch in 2012; confirms its intention to produce an own-initiative report on improvements that could be suggested to the Court of Auditors; would like to be informed about the implementation of the conclusions of the last peer review;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Secretary-General of the Council discharge for implementation of the Council's budget for the financial year 2010 / Postpones the discharge to the Secretary- General of the Council for implementation of the Council's budget for the financial year 2010;
Amendment 3 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Secretary-General of the Council discharge for implementation of the Council's budget for the financial year 2010 / Postpones the discharge to the Secretary- General of the Council for implementation of the Council's budget for the financial year 2010;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomesTakes note of the fact that, in its annual report for 2010, the Court of Auditors concluded, based on its audit work, that the payments as a whole for the year ended 31 December 2010 for the administrative and other expenses of the institutions and bodies were free from material error; points out that the most likely error rate as regards administrative expenditure in general is estimated at 0.4% (paragraphs 7.9 and 7.10);
Amendment 9 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Acknowledges receipt of a series of documents for the 2010 discharge procedure (final financial statements for 2010, including the accounts, the financial activity report and the summary of the 2010 internal audits); still awaiting all necessary documents for a discharge (including the full 2010 internal audit);
Amendment 10 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the fact that the Council submitted the abovementioned documents to Parliament; hopes that theHopes that the Parliament will receive the full annual activity report that will also provide a comprehensive overview of all human resources available to the Council, broken down by category, grade, gender, participation in vocational training and nationality;
Amendment 15 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Regrets the difficulties encountered in the discharge procedures for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 financial years, which were due to the unwillingness of the Council to engage in an open and formal dialogue with the Committee on Budgetary Control as well as to answer the questions of the Committee; points out that Parliament refused to grant the Secretary-General of the Council discharge for implementation of the Council budget for the financial year 2009 for the reasons set out in its resolutions of 10 May 2011 and 25 October 2011;
Amendment 17 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Amendment 21 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Points out that on 31 January 2012 the Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control sent a letter to the Presidency-in- Office of the Council, stating his wish to re-establish political dialogue and forwarding supplementary questions from the Committee on Budgetary Control on the discharge to the Council; will therefore amplify this resolution by taking the Council's replies into account;
Amendment 23 #
2011/2203(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the fact that the Presidency- in-Office of the Council took part in the debates in plenary on the 2009 discharge and invites it also to take part in the debates on the 2010 discharge; regrets that the Presidency-in Office of the Council refused to participate in a formal dialogue on the 2010 discharge at the Committee meeting on the 29. February 2012;
Amendment 14 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the year saw consolidation and further modernisation of the administration, with a stronger focus on core activities, restructuring of services, better use of modern technologies and increased interinstitutional cooperation which together ensured; that budgetary and staffing resources were used in thea mostre cost-effective way;
Amendment 18 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes the adoption, by the Bureau, on 24 March 2010, of a medium-term ICT Strategy (and in particular the Knowledge Management System - KMS - forming part of it) and a medium-term building policy which both have a substantial financial dimension;
Amendment 19 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes however the significant carry- overs into 2010 (EUR 190 365 823), resulting to a large extent from the particular nature of the 2009 election year and calls for improved planning of expenditure taking this into account in the run up to future European elections;
Amendment 22 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that this overall high level of implementation is partly due to two targeted transfers made before the end of the financial year 2010 (EUR 9 240 000 for the purchase of a Europe House in Sofia and EUR 10 923 000 for four major IT projects); welcomes the fact that for the second time no mopping-up transfers took place between 2010 and 2011; encourages, however, its administration to pursue the objective of better and clearer budget planning and discipline in the future and notes that to put buildings, IT or any other important expenditure in the budget would provide morefull financial clarity;
Amendment 24 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Acknowledges as positive the reversed trend in 2010 (as compared to 2009 and previous years) in the number of exceptional negotiated procedures, as shown in the following breakdown:
Amendment 26 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Directorates General which still have high figures to further reduce the number/proportion of such procedures; calls on the Secretary-General to report on a six monthly basis to the Committee on Budgetary Control on progress made;
Amendment 29 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes the Court of Auditors finding that the procedures in place in 2010, which did not require evidence of actual travel costs and which included cash payments to group leaders, presented a risk of overpayment and limited the possibility of applying internal controls to such payments, and welcomestakes note of the adoption of recent changes to this system; points out however that Members have still the option to request cash payment to groups of visitors; requests the Secretary-General to seek the opinion of the Court of Auditors on the amended rules;
Amendment 35 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes with satisfaction the promptness and extent of written answers in respect of the 2009 discharge resolution provided to the Committee on Budgetary Control on 6 October 2011 and the quality of the exchange of views between the Secretary- General and the Committee on Budgetary Control during the follow-up of the 2009 discharge exercise on 11 October 2011;
Amendment 36 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 – point i
Paragraph 24 – point i
(i) to propose arrangementstrict rules applicable to all Members to ensure that the General Expenditure allowance is transparent in all cases and that it is only used for the purposes for which it is intended (paragraph 6);
Amendment 40 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 – point ii
Paragraph 24 – point ii
(ii) to make a comprehensive evaluation covering changes in staff as well as the development of expenditure in all services concerned by the implementation of the new Statutes (of Members and of Assistants) and to forward this to its competent committees, together with an action plan and an assessment of thedirect and indirect financial implications for Parliament's budget for the coming 5 years, including the provision to be made for possible extra office space, removal and costs for renovations/ alterations (paragraph 7);
Amendment 42 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 – point v
Paragraph 24 – point v
(v) to report on the total amount of savings that were made including those as a result of further rationalisation of the missions between the three working places (paragraph 102);
Amendment 46 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Refers to its comments, contained in previous discharge resolutions, on internal audit reports; recognises that internal audit reports serve as tools for improvements in systems and performance, and can only be properly interpreted when changes and results are completed, based on their recommendations; notes however that future action and treatment of these reports by all institutions will depend on the outcome of negotiations concerning the ongoing review of the Financial Regulation, is however of the opinion that in order to guarantee a proper assessment from the Committee on Budgetary Control on Parliament's budget and expenditure the Members of this committee should have full access to the internal audit reports and that these reports should be published on time, together with the actions taken , on Parliament's website;
Amendment 51 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Notes with satisfaction that the Risk Manager took up his appointment on 1 June 2010 and reports directly to the Secretary-General; welcomes the publication on 16 December 2011 of a Risk Management Manual and reiterates its request that its competent committee receive the Risk Manager's annual activity report for 2010 and be kept informed of development in the implementation of Parliament's new risk management policy twice a year, during a committee meeting in the presence of the risk manager based on a report sent to the competent committee beforehand;
Amendment 55 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Notes a slight decrease in the budget devoted to security from EUR 45 980 000 to EUR 45 590 000 between 2009 and 2010 due to internalisation of certain parts of the security tasks ; welcomes the continued decreasing trend in the 2011 budget expenditure (final appropriations: EUR 42 830 000) compared to 2010 and the adoption by the Bureau in July 2011 of the Global Security Concept providing more modern and efficient security for Parliament; calls on the Secretary General to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control on the total costs of security including the expenses for internal parts of the security policy; suggests to the Secretary-General to perform a survey among the Members asking them if they are prepared to use their badge for entering and leaving the premises of the Parliament;
Amendment 60 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Reiterates its request to the Secretary General to come forward, by 30 June 2012, with proposals for a more effective secure and fraudproof signing system (including considerations about opening hours for signing), and in particular for a possible future electronic signing system for Members both for signing documents (such as amendments) and for recording their presence by digital signature, even though it is aware that only minimal impact is to be expected in terms of costs or savings;
Amendment 66 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Recalls the political importance of delegations in Parliament´'s work inside and outside the Union, notes however the apparently wide disparity in total costs per Member per day (ranging from EUR 1 400 to EUR 5 300) on different delegations, particularly those outside the Union; calls on its Bureau, in collaboration with all DGs concerned, to consider principles for a more economic and uniform cost structure for delegation visits, in particular taking account of their political importance and duration, and the optimum ratio of Members to staff.; call on the Secretary- General to provide figures whereby the "individual" cost per Member per day and all other costs per day are split;
Amendment 71 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
Amendment 83 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 c (new)
Paragraph 42 c (new)
42c. Regrets that decisions taken by the Bureau and other bodies concerning the House of European History were not based on the full "estimated" final costs involved in establishing a fully operational project; advises the Bureau and the Quaestors not to approve any project or initiative in future for which no total financial estimate for direct or indirect costs is presented;
Amendment 86 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Recognises the importance of the visitors' scheme in raising awareness of the Parliament and its legislative work; welcomes improvementsnotes the recent changes made to the visitor group payment system put in place since 2010 and calls for an evaluation of the new payment system and reimbursement scheme to show the evolution of costs and the degree to which payments reflect the actual costs incurred by the groups; suggests to the Court of Auditors to follow this up and looks forward to the Internal Auditor's remarks on the implementation of the new system;
Amendment 101 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Notes that costs relating to the Prize for Journalism in 2010 were EUR 118 059, an increase of 18 % on 2009 figure; is concerned that the costs rose for the event in 2011 by more than a quarter, and requests that a full cost-benefit analysis be carried out before any alternative initiatives are developed in theis domain of relations with the press or any other domain, now that the Prize has been terminated;
Amendment 107 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Notes the opening in April 2010 of the EP Liaison Office (EPLO) in Washington and the system of one-year missions for four officials put in place in October 2010; observes that, although the creation of the Washington Office has not entailed the creation of any new posts, other costs have inevitably been incurred; would like to be informed of the level of those costs for 2011 and 2012;
Amendment 110 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
53. Notes that, at 31 December 2010, a majority of staff in the Secretariat (58,4 %) and within the administrators' function group (51,7 % female) were women; welcomnotes that, at the level of senior and middle management, the proportion of female directors-general increased in 2010 (to 36,4 %, that is, four out of 11) and heads of unit (to 26,2 %); calls on the Secretary- General to achieve before 2025 the aim of at least 50 % women in all higher grades;
Amendment 115 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Notes that, in 2010, there were 33 200 missions (official trips) representing a total of 98 629 mission days, most of them involving travel between Parliament's three places of work; reiterates the need to avoid unnecessary missions between the three working places and the costs they entail with more systematic and documentary justifications and better monitoring; requests that the Secretary General report, as part of the discharge procedure, on any savings made as a result of further rationalisation; and about further initiatives taken or in preparation leading to less missions; is further of the opinion that in general no committee meeting should take place in Strasbourg with the exception of those committees the agenda of which is directly linked to the reports or discussions on that week's part session's agenda;
Amendment 120 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
56. Notes with satisfaction that the switch to this new employment system has been broadly budget neutral, with approximately 15 members of staff administering the employment of around 1400 assistants; and looks forward to receiving a copy of the report on that new employment system's implementation, its total indirect and direct costs, including the unemployment benefits paid out by the Commission;
Amendment 129 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 e (new)
Paragraph 64 e (new)
64e. Regrets that the building policy lacks elements of social and economic integration with the citizens living and working in the areas around the buildings; calls on the Secretary-General and the Bureau to pay more attention to this aspect of Parliament's building policy;
Amendment 139 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70
Paragraph 70
70. Notes that final appropriations for the Travel Agency amounted to EUR 1 438 000 in 2010, with a high commitment rate (94 %); further notes that it obtains negotiated prices from airlines, which means that there is an average price for the best service; stresses however that this does not mean that, for a specific day or journey, it is not possible to get better prices by booking directly with travel operators; suggests that random checks are conducted to see if tickets with the same travel conditions are issued at the lowest available price; further suggests that Members and staff using the cheapest available tickets with fixed travel dates will be entitled to be fully compensated up to a maximum of 5 times a year when unforeseen circumstances force them purchase another ticket;
Amendment 143 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
71. Welcomes the fact that, at the end of the 2010 financial year, the mopping up procedure was not used as has been asked by its Committee on Budgetary Control over the last years, thereby preventing there being a significant difference between the budget as planned for the year and its implementation, as happened in previous years and believes that all Union institutions could make scrutiny and budget discharge for future years easier if they planned buildings expenditure in a transparent way via the budget procedure:
Amendment 144 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72
Paragraph 72
Amendment 146 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73
Paragraph 73
73. Notes that, although in 2010 the value of the assets of the Voluntary Pension Fund increased by 13, 3 % as the investment markets continued to recover from the global financial crisis of 2008, as at 31 December 2010 the voluntary pension fund had a deficit of EUR 178 960 000, which raises concerns about the possibility of the fund becoming exhaustedle default of the fund; reminds that Parliament is guaranteeing the payment of pension rights for all former and some current Members of this voluntary pension fund, when and if this fund is not able to meet its obligations; would like to be informed how and from which budget line Parliament will meet its obligations in that case;
Amendment 154 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 76 a (new)
Paragraph 76 a (new)
76 a. Expects a full report on how Parliament's Free Software projects have developed with regards to use and users in Parliament, citizen interaction and procurement activities; invites to investigate Parliament's obligations under Rule 103 with regard to Free Software and Open Standards;
Amendment 161 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86
Paragraph 86
86. Welcomes the pilot projects in the area of logistics which ran in 2010 (e.g. purchasing low-emissions vehicles - EURO 5 standard, holding training in environmentally responsible driving for drivers and removal staff, trunk sharing for the transport of working documents, thereby reducing CO2 emissions by around 33 % in that area) as part of EMAS Action Plan; would like to be informed on how Parliament will promote the use of electric cars and the number of charging points available;
Amendment 163 #
2011/2202(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87 a (new)
Paragraph 87 a (new)
87a. Believes that better and more use should be made of solar panels on the roofs of Parliament's buildings; regrets that only a few are installed until now; would like to be informed on the total amount of square meters of roof available for the "economic" use of solar panels in future, how many square meters are used for the moment and the potential electric output in percentage of the total electricity consumption when installing a maximum of solar panels;
Amendment 65 #
2011/2201(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Deplores the factFinds it unacceptable that the Internal Auditor's overall opinion was not transmitted to Parliament yet; notes the observations made by the Court of Auditors concerning the overall opinion; believes that without a substantial revisit addressing the Court of Auditors' concerns, the usefulness of the overall opinion will remain limited;, strongly urges the Commission to make the overall opinions available to Parliament as part of the discharge procedure
Amendment 94 #
2011/2201(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 – introductory part
Paragraph 46 – introductory part
46. Believes that it is more efficient to prevent irregularities than to correct undue payments ex-post through recoveries; invites, therefore, the Commission to make it a priority action to reconsider the increasedduce the use of pre- financing bsubstantially:
Amendment 96 #
2011/2201(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 – indent 1
Paragraph 46 – indent 1
– to informing Parliament about the reasons why the Commission has made an increased use of pre-financings between 2005 and 2010;
Amendment 101 #
2011/2201(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 – indent 2
Paragraph 46 – indent 2
– inform Parliament how the Commission will be decreasing the level of pre- financings in the various programmes to a level absolutely necessary for the beneficiary to start the project;
Amendment 207 #
2011/2201(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the use of innovative and complex financial instruments must be counter balanced by full transparency, including the publication of comprehensive data of all final beneficiaries, and clear rules on reporting in order to avoid any risk to the Union's budget and reputation,
Amendment 4 #
2011/2192(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Shares with the Court the opinion that the main benefit of budget support is that it offers opportunities for dialogue with local beneficiaries on policy objectives; notes that this opportunity has to be fully exploited, in the light of the ‘more for more’ principle underlying the current ENP review; stresses the need for delegations to have the resources and expertise required to carry out this dialogue in an effective way; calls for additional steps to be taken to further strengthen the political analysis and political reporting capacity of delegations;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2192(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Believes that the reduction of the number of sectors of intervention at country level for each EU donor would be an important contribution to making aid delivery more effective and more efficient for all stakeholders and supports the Commission's efforts to play a stronger role in leading the process at country level, and to achieve joint programming with EU Member States;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2192(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Believes that in the interest of a smooth implementation of the EU budget, Heads of Delegation should be able to delegate the management of operational tasks as well as the management of a delegation's administrative expenditures to their deputies and that if necessary the financial regulation should be revised accordingly;
Amendment 9 #
2011/2192(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Reiterates its position that in countries against which the EU applies restrictive measures an EU presence on the ground is particularly essential in order to ensure that the Member States, as well as EU Heads of Delegation are closely involved in the process of designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating of restrictive measures and their consequences;
Amendment 10 #
2011/2192(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Welcomes the Court of Auditors remark that the role of the EEAS in the area of consular protection should be further explored;
Amendment 1 #
2011/2191(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. SupportsTakes note of the finding of the ECA that the devolution has clearly led to increased speed of delivery, improvements in quality and improved financial management of aid, points out however that there are still shortcomings in the Commission's assessment system, calls on the Commission to concentrate more efforts to remedy those shortcomings and suggests to the Court to continue monitoring on an annual basis a number of delegations in order to see if these improvements continue;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2191(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes when using the D+3 rule that 6% of the commitments was not contracted and therefore lost in 2009 from the 2006 available budget, insists that this percentage should be brought down and would like to be informed on the percentages and the amounts for 2010 and 2011;
Amendment 3 #
2011/2191(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Expects that the Commission will take all the necessary measures to overcome the weaknesses of the supervisory and control systems, notably at delegation level as indicated by the Court, requests the Commission to inform parliaments competent committees no later than by the end of 2012 on which measures it has taken;
Amendment 6 #
2011/2191(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses concern regarding the persisting problems with staff involved in aid policies; the high staff turnover in DG Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid and the lack of staff with appropriate qualifications in the delegations should be addressed without delay; further takes the view that, where necessary, the Commission should cooperate with the EEAS with a view to ensuring appropriate human resource capacity for aid management in the delegations, calls on the Commission to see if it would not be useful to have a special statute more adapted for (local) staff in the delegations which might remedy a number of shortcomings noted by the Court;
Amendment 9 #
2011/2191(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Encourages the Commission to require the delegations to systematically carry out more technical and financial monitoring visits to the projects whereby at least 80% of the projects are checked on the spot and to focus the internal reporting system more on the results achieved by the aid interventions;
Amendment 1 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Whereas EIB's activity outside the EU has developed primarily in middle income countries, with limited staff resources particularly for upstream work and for project monitoring, as well as limited local presence compared to the level and complexity of financing activities outside the EU;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Notes that in 2010, the EIB lent EUR 5 bn of the total 72 bn EIB lending to developing countries (1.2 bn to Asia and Latin America (ALA), EUR1 bn to ACP (973m) and South Africa (50m), EUR 2.55 bn to the Mediterranean countries and EUR 328 mn to Central Asian countries) of which only EUR 467 mn for projects directly aiming at achieving the MDGs;
Amendment 3 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the EIB’s focus on climate change, particularly on renewable energy and on the two projects in France’s Pacific OCTs funded to the tune of EUR 15 million in particular; calls on the EIB to make universal energy access a focus of its engagement in the energy sector, by supporting decentralised small- scale and off-grid projects, particularly in rural areas; calls on the EIB to phase out projects which are likely to have a significant impact on the environment, such as large dams, CCS and fossil fuel technologies, to avoid locking developing countries into these energies;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. CRecalls that a narrow focus on GDP-led growth does not automatically deliver inclusive and sustainable development and reduce inequality; in this context, calls on the EIB to link its financing projects more directly to poverty reduction and the achievement of the MDGs, human rights, corporate social responsibility, decent work and environmental principles and good governance, through the implementation of Decision No° 1080/2011/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council; accordingly, takes the view that adequate concessional finance and staff resource is necessary for enabling EIB to support more effectively EU development cooperation objectives;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the 2010 Annual Report and encourages the EIB to continue its activities to support the development of the European economy and foster growth, stimulate employment, and promote interregional and social cohesion with a special focus on projects for less-developed regions; supports the bank in its intention to target operations where its financing is likely to have the greatest impact on economic growth, points out that the EIB should use its resources and instruments in the best possible way to fight the actual financial and economic crisis;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the EIB to actively support projects aimed at financial inclusion, i.e. facilitating equal access to financial services such as loans and savings and insurance schemes, for instance through supporting microfinance institutions;
Amendment 6 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Welcomes EIB's commitments and policy developed regarding non- cooperative jurisdictions; however, expresses its concern about the lack of transparency regarding the way "global loans" are allocated and monitored in terms of tax governance; recalls that the EIB should ensure that recipients of its loans do not avail themselves of tax havens or use other harmful tax practises such as abusive transfer pricing which may lead to tax evasion or avoidance; in this context, calls on the EIB to request that financial intermediaries make public any use of the global loans they receive, including a report of their activities in any individual country in which they operate;
Amendment 6 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that the EIB Group6 should continue reporting annually to the European parliament on its lending activities related to the EU budget and focused on: EU financing and External financing calls on the bank that its annual report should be easily accessible and understandable for the wider public;
Amendment 7 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Regrets that the EIB is not prioritising investment in local companies in ACP countries; Deems that monitoring of global loans or loans for SMEs should be improved, to ensure that financial intermediaries properly implement properly the EIB's requirements, and to ensure accountability, transparency and environmental sustainability in the use of funds granted to local SMEs; takes the view that the definition of SMEs used in each external region should be clarified, taking into account of the structure of the local economies;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2186(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Welcomes the initiative of concluding a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the European Parliament and the EIB; in this context, stresses upon the need to involve closely the EP in the process of discussion on the setting-up of an "EU Platform for External Cooperation and Development" and to guarantee transparency in the process;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recommends that the EIB give publicity topublishes the European parliament's resolutions on the Annual Reports ofand the MEP's written questions and given answers by the EIB together with its own reports on its website;
Amendment 11 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Amendment 14 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Urges EIB to increase the public sector support for infrastructure networks in new Member states which is still relatively low compared to EU-15 Member States;
Amendment 17 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. RegretsFinds it unacceptable that comprehensive global control systems including an audit operational system are still not in place and expects them to become operational in 2012fully implemented by November 2012 also in view of the multitude of innovative financial instruments managed by the EIB group expects the EIB to report back to the Parliament on progress made by December 2012;
Amendment 21 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reiterates continuous previous recommendations of the EP to enhance transparency in EIB's selection of financial intermediaries and the way ‘global loans’ are allocated; stresses the need for clearer conditions and stricter lending effectiveness criteria; encourages the EIB to elaborate newwithout delay new, coherent and effective instruments for a better supervision of the financial intermediaries collaborating with the EIB in supporting SMEs in Europe before the end of 2012;
Amendment 24 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its call to report on the results achieved, including summarisedfull and comprehensive data of the final beneficiaries, summary reports on the monitoring and implementation of its internal procedures, and achievements of objectives on targets; is concerned about the lack of clear benchmarks and penetration rates, as a consequence of which, the effectiveness of the loans remains unclear;
Amendment 26 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Welcomes the European Progress Microfinance Facility established in March 2010 by the EC and by the EIB; emphasizes the need for a public disclosure of the results of this facility up to date; points out that the complete set of selecting criteria for choosing the intermediaries participating in the initiative is still not clearshould be made public;
Amendment 28 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes the special report of the European Court of Auditors number 4/2011 on the Audit of the SME Guarantee Facility and recognizes the important role of the SMEG facility; is concerned about the findings of the Court which relate to: insufficient records justifying the agreement parameters between the EIB and the financial intermediaries, unclear performance indicators, absence of target values of the indicators calls on the EIB to remedy these shortcomings without delay in cooperation with the Court;
Amendment 31 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the EIB to inform the European parliament about its financing operations in the Mediterranean region, supported by the external lending mandate, to demonstrate the development impacts of its lending and provide a report to the European parliament before the end of 2012 suggests that due attention will be paid to the recently published report from Bankwatch criticising some of these financial operations;
Amendment 34 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Is concerned about the lack of sufficient information about the results of the external policy actions; highlights the absence of requirements for financial intermediaries to send ex-post results on individual operations calls therefore on the bank to make such ex- post reporting compulsory;
Amendment 43 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Welcomes the new EIB's complaints mechanism; notes and regrets however that this mechanism is not completely operational in 2010; takes note of the substantial growth of numbers of complaints mainly in the area of procurement, environmental, social and developmental aspects of financed projects; asks the EIB to provide the EP with relevant information about the follow- up on the submitted complaints by then end of September 2012;
Amendment 68 #
2011/2186(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55 a (new)
Paragraph 55 a (new)
55a. Expects that 2012 is the last year in which the Bank will paid out bonuses over and above the normal salaries to its staff;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Indent 2 a (new)
Indent 2 a (new)
- whereas food production is linked with a high level of CO2 emissions and resource use (including land and water);
Amendment 17 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Recognises that reducing food waste has significant environmental benefits, not only in terms of avoiding the negative effects of waste disposal, but also in terms of saving energy, emissions, water and land use in the production process and avoiding negative effects related to potentially unsustainable agricultural production practices, such as water pollution and biodiversity loss;
Amendment 20 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Calls on the Commission to propose clear food waste reduction targets in the framework of the waste framework directive; calls on the Commission to put a special focus on food waste when assessing the Member States waste prevention programmes, objectives and indicators in accordance with the waste framework directive; calls for the appraisal of effects on the generation of food waste in the impact assessment of each food-related legislative proposal;
Amendment 21 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Calls on the Member States to put a special focus on food waste in their waste prevention programmes and to take legislative action aimed at avoiding food waste along the whole production chain, including at the level of retailer and wholesale trade; this should include the setting of targets for waste avoidance, separation and redistribution;
Amendment 22 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Encourages companies in the hospitality sector, public entities such as schools and hospitals, retailers and wholesalers to establish redistribution programmes in partnership with local charities so that uneaten but edible food is donated to those in need; stresses that this shall not lead to the reduction of public allocations to the poor;
Amendment 25 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is aware that to some extent the food loss and waste are unavoidable phenomena which, once they have occurred, haCalls for a strict application of the waste hierarchy as laid down in the waste framework directive; to be taken care of with the best means available to us and which require investments not only in technology but also in our behaviour, with the aim of avoiding the least desirable options, i.e. landfill and incinerationherefore considers that food waste which was generated despite all efforts of prevention should be composted or used in biogas plants instead of incinerated or landfilled;
Amendment 40 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is aware that in Europe, where the main food waste takes place at the retail and consumption levels, there is relatively little scope for regulation and legislation to improve the situation and that the main benefit must come from an exchange of best practice, improved routines in the treatment of food and a change in behaviour on the part of companies and individuals; urges the Commission and the Member States, therefore, to lend their support to awareness-raising measures and campaigns aimed at those goals;
Amendment 66 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on retailers to take their responsibility to reduce food waste seriously; e.g. by easing requirements for marketing standards; calls on the Commission to gather and publish the best practices policies to avoid food waste of the European retail sector, as well as practical solutions to deal with or distribute foodstuffs that cannot be sold via the regular channels;
Amendment 79 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Takes the view that incineration can only be acceptable if it is linked to energy recovery and prevents the production of GHG emissConsiders that the recycling of biowaste by composting or use in biogas plants is far preferable to its incinerations;
Amendment 85 #
2011/2175(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Asks the Member States to support short supply chains and sustainable local production and marketing of food products, thus avoiding long and sometimes complicated logistics and reducing carbon footprints;
Amendment 20 #
2011/2082(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Requests the Commission to provide the European Parliament each year with an overview of detected and prosecuted VAT fraud cases above 100 000 Euro in the Member States, including data on the juridical follow up, the sentences and financial penalties;
Amendment 24 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls for oil and gas companies to dedicate 5 % of their research and development funds for new prevention and accident remediation technologies; stresses that before any disaster response technologies are added to an approved contingency plan they must be independently tested, assessed and authorised;
Amendment 32 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the scope of the Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) should strictly applybe extended so that the ‘polluter pays’ principle and strict liability apply to all damages caused to marine waters and biodiversity, so that oil companies can be held accountable for any and all damage they cause;
Amendment 36 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission, under the ELD, to lower damage thresholds and to avoid ceilings leading to exoneration of polluters from a strict liability regime for marine water damageenforce a strict liability regime covering all damage to marine waters and biodiversity, regardless of any ceilings arising from mutualisation or insurance cover;
Amendment 43 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses that while in principle financial guarantees can be provided through either insurance or industry mutualisation, it is important to ensure that operators demonstrate financial guarantees in place to cover the full cost of clean-up and compensation in case of a major disaster, and that risks and liabilities are not externalised to smaller companies that are more likely to declare insolvency in the event of an accident; calls for any joint schemes to be established in a manner that maintains incentives for avoiding risks and adhering to highest possible safety standards in individual operations;
Amendment 53 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Insists that environmental impact assessments are also carried out on emergency response plans and in particular on any use of chemical dispersants; calls for the Commission to ensure more detailed research into the impacts of such chemicals, through EU research programmes if necessary;
Amendment 54 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Calls on the Commission to examine the current regulatory framework regarding the decommissioning of existing drilling infrastructure, and to clarify, if necessary by way of legislation, the responsibility of operators for ensuring safe removal and liability for any environmental damage resulting from the decommissioning or from a drilling site after it has been decommissioned;
Amendment 59 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to extend the mandate of the European Agency for Maritime Safety (EMSA) to cases of marine pollution caused by other sources than vessels, notably by oil and gas offshore installations; considers that mobile and transport installations, as well as pipeline terminals, should be included; supports the Commission’s request to reflect such new tasks in the EMSA’s budget and staffing levels; considers that EMSA’s mandate could be further extended to provide independent third party auditing of environmental impact assessments and licensing of offshore oil and gas activities, as well as periodic inspections on operators;
Amendment 67 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Asks the Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of licensing requirements related to offshore hydrocarbon exploration and extraction and to come forward with proposals for harmonised minimum requirements at EU level, including independent third party auditing to ensure transparency and disclosure regarding environmental practices and to reduce risks of conflict of interests;
Amendment 68 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Welcomes the proposals to require EU operators to adhere to European standards regarding activities outside the EU;
Amendment 69 #
2011/2072(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Calls for a moratorium on any offshore hydrocarbon exploration and extraction operations in the Arctic due to the vulnerability of its unique environment;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2048(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls on the Commission to carry out the necessary analysis of rules stemming from EU case law in order to clarify the legal framework and give more legal security to all parties;
Amendment 17 #
2011/2048(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Invites the Commission to review the existing qualitative selection criteria by replacingadding to the balance sheets, as proof of the economic operator's economic and financial standing, withe cash flow statements, which represent a viable feature of financial soundness.
Amendment 18 #
2011/2048(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls the Commission to introduce means to simplify the procurement process and to reduce the administrative burden of bidders in order to improve the SMEs' chances to access public contracts as emphasised in the Parliament's report on Small Business Act (2008/2237(/INI)); stresses that these means will also reduce the risk of administrative errors; suggests working with a central or regional register or passport in order for SMEs to reduce the administrative burden caused by the requirements in the selection stage;
Amendment 26 #
2011/2033(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Regrets that the Commission does not have a tool to provide an execution rate in an automated manner for the EU pre- accession projects and emphasises that knowledge on execution rate is crucial in order to monitor the efficient implementation of projects and, therefore, in order to point out potential bottlenecks at an early stage; calls on the Commission to centralise data on a regular6 months basis on the execution rate of the projects for which EU pre-accession assistance is allocated;
Amendment 32 #
2011/2033(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalling that the rule of law is the cornerstone of democratic governance, stresses that the justice system needs to be morefully reliable, independent and predictable in order to ensure that the people and the business community trust the judiciary system ; stresses in this context the need to establish randomcoherent distribution of cases across allthe courts, and to ensure timely justice and ongoing, points out that adequate training of judges, prosecutors and clerks, and is essential, to ensure the unification and easy access of and tof jurisprudence and the publication of all judicial decisions immediately after adoption, as well as the wise use of e- justice;
Amendment 39 #
2011/2033(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that genuine implementation and concrete results in fighting corruption, in particular in the cases of high-level political corruption and corruption in the judiciary, are still a big challenge and that a convincing track record of cases of prosecution and conviction should be built up in order to measure progress; stresses the need for better planning and funding of anti- corruption workactivities, based on the cooperation of a broad range of stakeholders; calls on the Commission to develop a longer-term and broad-based strategic perspective of EU funding for civil society organisations which are working in the areas of transparency and anti-corruption;, as well on a national as European level.
Amendment 41 #
2011/2033(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that pre-accession projects last on averagehave a time span of between one and 3.5 years; acknowledges, based on the external thematic evaluations, that such deadlines are challenging, if not overambitious, given the wide scope of somemost projects and their numerous often complicated components; given the complexity of reforms in the areas of justice and the fight against corruption, and the time consumed solely in pre programming activities, recommends that the Commission define priorities takes adequate measures within the framework of IPA II programming and projects that could benefit fromwhich would lead to a longer timescale (five to seven years), incorporating predetermined and periodical reviewing exercises which would allow for more flexible adjustments, including at the financial lenvel;ope
Amendment 63 #
2011/2033(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Is concerned that ROM reports are considered to be structurally biased in favour of positive ratings and that they are inappropriate for longer-term performance monitoring; stresses that monitoring should track sector performance and not just project results; urges the Commission to develop a comprehensive monitoring action plan including evaluation tools other than ROM reports, such as sector performance assessment frameworks with SMART indicators, in order to make comprehensive monitoring of project outcomes possible over time; would like to be informed on progress made before the end of 2014;
Amendment 65 #
2011/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. asks for the creation, within the future EU Civil Protection Force, of specific mechanisms which enable the EU to face massive pollutions cases caused by oil and gas offshore installations;
Amendment 3 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points up the fact that, without additional sources of funding, the Member States will be unable to honour the commitments entered into in connection with the Millennium Development Goals; advocates establishing a European tax on financial transactions with a view to funding global public goods, i.e. poverty eradication and climate change; recalls that innovative financing for development is not designed to be a substitute for ODA, but is complementary; reiterates its conviction that the introduction of a FTT should therefore be linked with a more binding commitment of all member countries to achieve the 0.7% objective of ODA spending;
Amendment 7 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges that expenditure committed to mitigate the impact of climate change on developing countries come from an additional financial injection and not be the result of reclassifying funds originally allocated for development purposesReiterates its conviction that environment issues must be better mainstreamed and financed throughout all external policies, as the environment, natural resources and healthy ecosystems play an essential role to human development and eradication of poverty; supports in this context the proposal to increase the thematic programme on environment and natural resources as a step to fulfil EU's commitments taken at the climate conference in Cancun in 2010; but urges that expenditure committed to mitigate the impact of climate change on developing countries come from an additional financial injection and not be the result of reclassifying funds originally allocated for development purposes; recalls that for this principle to be secured, separate accounting for climate finance is needed; reiterates that in order to make climate funding effective, there is a need to better mainstream climate change concerns into EU development cooperation, while enforcing Policy Coherence for Development;
Amendment 11 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the emerging economies - India, China and Brazil - should no longer be reliant on official development assistance, given that poverty in those countries can be combated with own resources generated by high-growth economies; urges the EU, during the phasing-out period, to target its assistance on capacity-building for the establishment of tax collection, social security and other redistribution systems, while combating equally against tax havens, tax evasion and illicit capital flights, so as to enable countries to raise their domestic revenues, which should lead to the reduction of poverty and of aid dependency;
Amendment 21 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Takes the view that, owing to the efforts of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, substantial progress has been made in combating these evils; regards the amount allocated to the Global Fund for this purpose as insufficient, however; but recalls that both the horizontal and vertical approaches are necessary and complementary; therefore, urges the EU and Member States to support in developing countries the improvement of basic health systems to be accessible to everyone;
Amendment 26 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 1 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the EU Strategy for Central Asia identifies seven priorities but only provides a low level of resources; notes accordingly that EU assistance funds are too limited to make it possible for the EU to have an impact on all policy areas; urges the EU to develop a collective vision and to better define and articulate its priorities; recalls that development cooperation with the Central Asian states can only yield results if these states comply with international standards of democracy, governance, rule of law and human rights; recalls likewise that EU development cooperation must not be subordinated to economic, energy or security interests;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Notes that in the field of energy policy, the EU has a Memorandum of Understanding with Turkmenistan that envisages the purchasing of gas; but highlights that Turkmenistan is not yet a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI); emphasises once more upon the need to promote greater transparency in regard to natural resource rents; accordingly, urges the EU to back Turkmenistan' membership to EITI in its energy policy dialogue so as to integrate good governance aspects into the EU's energy programming;
Amendment 9 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Expresses its doubt about the use of budget support to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, especially given the widespread corruption; calls on the Commission to present a report on the use of budget support in these countries;
Amendment 14 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines that the security-oriented programmes of BOMCA (border control) and CADAP (to combat drug trafficking) are not financed under the Instrument for Stability, but through the DCI; points out that, as the Instrument for Stability is designed to be flexible and responsive to short term crisis, while working on the long-term trans-regional security challenges, it will make sense to place these programmes under the IfS umbrella;
Amendment 17 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Notes with concern that tensions over water management have become a regional threat to security; in particular, notes that hydroelectric energy and water resources projects in upstream states Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have led to increased regional tensions with Central Asian downstream countries, that want to avoid dependence on water for irrigation and fear about the negative ecological impact of dams on their population;
Amendment 18 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Urges the EU, in a context of regional water scarcity, to step up its assistance regarding water management in the ambit of the EU Environment and Water Initiative and to explore, as a way to address energy scarcity in upstream states, further options for solar and wind energy, which could help local communities in the countryside on a small scale;
Amendment 19 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Highlights that the lack of energy (e.g. for heating and electricity) exacerbates the situation of poor people in Central Asian countries; urges the EU, in line with its commitments towards climate change, to step up its assistance to supporting the development of a sustainable energy policy, including through energy efficiency and renewable energy sources;
Amendment 20 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. TRegrets that increased EU presence in the region has translated, in practice, into few positive changes in the field of democracy, human rights, good governance and the rule of law; takes the view that civil society organisations can play an invaluable role in defining priorities, as well as improving governance and the efficacy of development cooperation; calls therefore on the Commission and the Central Asian states to eliminate all unnecessary political and administrative barriers to their effective participation in all stages of development cooperation;
Amendment 22 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. IRegrets that the Strategy lacks local ownership by Central Asian regimes; invites the Commission and the Central Asian states to strengthen local authorities by supporting greater involvement by these levels of government in development cooperation and political and economic decision making.
Amendment 13 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Consequently, it is necessary to provide a framework for the recruitment of high calibre staff in terms of productivity and integrity, drawn on the widest possible geographical basis from among citizens and residents of the Member States, and to enable such staff to carry out their duties as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Amendment 19 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The potential advantages for officials and other servants of the European Union of the application of the method should be balanced by the continuation of the system of special levy, to be renamed as ‘solidarity levy’. While the rate of the special levy in force during the period from 2004 to 2012 increased gradually over time and averaged at 4.23 %, it seems appropriate in the present circumstances to increase the solidarity levy at the uniform rate of 6%, so as to take account of a difficult economic context and its ramifications for public finances throughout the European Union. Such a solidarity levy should apply to all officials and other servants of the European Union for the same period and conditions as the ‘method’ itself.
Amendment 22 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Some staff members must frequently go on mission to the other principal places of work of their institution. These situations are at present not adequately taken into account in the rules on missions. These rules should therefore be adapted, in order to allow in such cases the reimbursement of accommodation costs on the basis of a flat-rate sum flat-rate sum based on the average local accommodation costs.
Amendment 24 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Transitional arrangements should be provided to enable the new rules and measures to be applied gradually, whilst respecting the acquired rights and legitimate expectations of the staff employed before the entry into force of theseis amendments to thed Staff Regulations.
Amendment 26 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In the interest of simplification and of a consistent staff policy, the rules adopted by the Commission to implement the Staff Regulations should apply by analogy to the agencies. However, in order to ensure that the specific situation of agencies may, if necessary, be taken into account, agencies should be entitled to request the Commission's authorisation to adopt implementing rules which derogate from those adopted by the Commission, or not to apply the Commission's rules at all.
Amendment 27 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) A register of all of the rules adopted to give effect to the Staff Regulations, including the authorised derogations, should be set up and administered within the Court of Justice of the European Union. This register, which can be consulted by all institutions and agencies, will allow for transparency and promote a cohesive application of the Staff Regulations.
Amendment 30 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) The Commission, when preparing and drawing-up delegated acts, shouldmust ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and Council,
Amendment 31 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 (a)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 (a)
1. The posts covered by the Staff Regulations shall be classified, according to the nature and importance of the duties to which they relate, in an administrators' function group (hereinafter “AD”), an assistants' function group (hereinafter “AST”) and a secretariesal and clerks' function group (hereinafter “AST/SC”).
Amendment 45 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 a (new)
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 22a
Article 22a
Amendment 50 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6b (new)
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 22b
Article 22b
6b. Article 22b shall be replaced by the following: 1. A whistleblower who honestly believes that his rights under Article 22a were not respected or who honestly believes in the existence of breaches of law by officials in grade AD 14 or above and/or by Members of his Institution or OLAF is entitled to inform and provide supporting information to the President of the Commission or of the Court of Auditors (if the areas of the competences of the Court of Auditors are concerned) or of the Council or of the European Parliament or to the European Ombudsman. 2. A whistleblower who honestly believes that his rights under article 22b paragraph 1 and 3 were not respected is entitled to inform and provide supporting information about suspected wrongdoing detrimental to the interest of the European Union or suspected criminal behaviour of the officials and/or Members of its institution to any member of the European Parliament and the Court of (if the areas of the competences of the Court of Auditors are concerned). 3. The rights and obligations of article 22a respectively apply to whistleblowers and recipients under article 22b. A recipient under article 22b has the right to question a previously involved recipient and/or institution about his treatment of the whistleblowing and shall be provided with the necessary information for his analysis. 4. If EU legislation entrusts other bodies - outside the EU institutions - with the necessary competences to confidentially assess matters (within EU-Institutions) that could be subject of disclosures by EU-officials, officials may also address them under the conditions mentioned in this article. 5. The recipients mentioned in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 also have the right to inform the public if they deem that this is necessary. 6. If a whistleblower is undergoing disciplinary or other procedures for not respecting the recipient-limitations of art. 22a/b and/or e.g. by providing information to the media and public any measure taken against him must take into account if the information provided was true or the whistleblower believed it to be true. The public interests in the issue at stake must also be taken into account.
Amendment 55 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 27 - paragraph 1
Article 27 - paragraph 1
Recruitment shall be directed to securing for the institution the services of officials of the highest standard of ability, efficiency and integrity, recruited on the broadest possible geographical basis from among nationals or legal residents of Member States of the European Union. No posts shall be directly or indirectly reserved for nationals or residents of any specific Member State.
Amendment 60 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 27 – paragraph 2
Article 27 – paragraph 2
The principle of the equality of Union's citizens shall allow each institution to adopt corrective measures following the observation of a long lasting and significant imbalance between nationalitiess, residents of the different Member-States or gender among officials which is not justified by objective criteria. These corrective measures shall never result in recruitment criteria other than those based on merit. Before such corrective measures are adopted, the appointing authority of the institution concerned shall adopt general provisions for giving effect to this paragraph in accordance with Article 110.
Amendment 65 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 31 - paragraph 2 - first sentence
Article 31 - paragraph 2 - first sentence
Without prejudice to Article 29(2), officials shall be recruited only at grades SC 1 to SC 3, AST 1 to AST 4 or AD 5 to AD 8.
Amendment 68 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 20
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 20
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 52 - point b) - second sentence
Article 52 - point b) - second sentence
However, an official may at his own request aund whereer the condition that the appointing authority considers it justified in the interest of the serviceissues no justified objections , carry on working until the age of 67, in which case she/he shall be retired automatically on the last day of the month in which he reaches that age.
Amendment 69 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 21 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 21 – point b
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 55 - paragraph 2- first sentence
Article 55 - paragraph 2- first sentence
The normal working week shall range from 40 to 42 hourswill be 40 hours on average within a reference periods of 3 months , the hours of the working day to be determined by the appointing authority
Amendment 71 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 23
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 23
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 56 - paragraph 3
Article 56 - paragraph 3
As provided in Annex VI, overtime worked by officials in grades SC 1 to SC 6 and grades AST 1 to AST 4 shall entitle them either to compensatory leave or to remuneration where requirements of the service do not allow compensatory leave during thea period of 2 months following thate month in which the overtime was worked.
Amendment 81 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 41
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 41
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 110 - paragraph 2 - subparagraph 2
Article 110 - paragraph 2 - subparagraph 2
Such implementing rules shall enter into force at the agencies ninesix months after their entry into force at the Commission or ninesix months after the date on which the Commission informed the agencies of the adoption of the respective implementing rule, whichever is later. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an agency may also decide that such implementing rules will enter into force at an earlier date.
Amendment 82 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 41
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 41
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 110 - paragraph 2 - subparagraph 3
Article 110 - paragraph 2 - subparagraph 3
By way of derogation, an agency may on the basis of a properly motivated request , before the expiry of the ninesix-month period referred to above and after consulting its Staff Committee, submit to the Commission for its agreement implementing rules which are different from those adopted by the Commission. Under the same conditions, an agency may request the agreement of the Commission for not applying certain of these implementing rules. In the latter case, the Commission may, instead of accepting or rejecting the request, require the agency to submit for its agreement implementing rules which are different from those adopted by the Commission.
Amendment 83 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 41
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 41
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 110 - paragraph 2 - fourth subparagraph
Article 110 - paragraph 2 - fourth subparagraph
The ninesix-month period referred to in the previous subparagraphs shall be suspended from the date on which the agency has requested the Commission's agreement until the date on which the Commission has expressed its position.
Amendment 84 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 42
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 42
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Article 110 b(new) - paragraph 4
Article 110 b(new) - paragraph 4
4. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council and inform the Court of Justice.
Amendment 85 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 43 – point (a)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 43 – point (a)
Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union
Annex 1 - Section A - point 3
Annex 1 - Section A - point 3
3. Function Group AST/SC Secretary/Clerk Carrying out clerical and secretarial tasks, office management and other equivalent tasks requiring a certain degree of autonomy (The number of posts of Parliamentary ushers in the European Parliament shall not exceed 85.)delete
Amendment 222 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The European Consensus on Development and Commission communications ‘Increasing the impact of EU development Policy - An Agenda for Change’, and ‘The future approach of EU budget support to third countries’, as well as any future communication establishing basic orientations and principles for the Union's development policy, and their subsequent conclusArticle 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Unions, provide the general policy framework, the orientations and the focus to guide the implementation of this Regulation.
Amendment 223 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The Union is founded on the values of democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for human dignity, the principles of equalityuniversality and indivisibility of human rights (Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union), the principle of equality and solidarity and respect for the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Respect for human dignity and gender equality, including individual and scolidarity and respect for the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Itlective political and civic rights; respect for economic, social and cultural rights; respect for the rights of women, children and minorities; respect for international treaties on environment and biodiversity will guide the Union's cooperation policy. Cooperation from the Union's side seeks to develop and consolidate commitment to these values in partner countries and regions through dialogue and cooperation. .
Amendment 227 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The Union also aims to ensure the coherence withof other areas of its external action. This should be ensured when formulating the Union's development cooperation policy and its strategic planning programming and implementation of measures policies with development policy, and aims at guaranteeing peace and stability. This should be ensured when formulating the Union's external action policies in the field of trade, investment, agriculture, fisheries etc. and aligning them with development cooperation policy.
Amendment 228 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5 a) The Union's policy aims at strengthening the domestic accountability of partner countries through Country/Regional Strategy Papers. Policy priorities shall be set by the respective national/regional parliaments in consultation with their civil society organisations, prior to policy dialogue with the Commission.
Amendment 235 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The Union and the Member States should improve the consistency and the complementarity of their respective policieslement Policy Coherence in all their policy areas in support onf development cooperation, in particular by responding to partner countries' and regions' priorities at country and regional level. To ensure that the Union's development cooperation policy and that of the Member States complement and reinforce each other, it is appropriate to provide for joint programming procedures which should be implemented whenever possible and relevant.
Amendment 239 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The Union's policy and international action for development cooperation are guided by Policy Coherence for Development and the MDGs, such aiming ast the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, including any subsequent modifications thereto, and by the development objectives and principles approved by the Union and, its Member States, and the European Parliament, including in the context of their cooperation within the United Nations (UN) and other competent international organisations in the field of development cooperation.
Amendment 241 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The Union should promote a comprehensive approach in response to crisis and disaster and to conflict-affected and fragile situations, including those of transition. This should in particular build on the Council conclusions on Security and Development on an EU response to situations of fragility on conflict prevention as well as any relevant subsequent conclusions. This should provide the necessary mix of approaches, responses and instruments in particular by ensuring an appropriate balance between the security-oriented, development and humanitarian approaches, and by linking short-term reaction with the long term supportbuild on the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid. To ensure that short-term reaction ties in with long-term support, the link between Relief, Rehabilitation and Development (LRRD) should be developed. Each country analysis and programming should contain a conflict analysis.
Amendment 245 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Union assistance should focus where it has more impact, having regard to its capacity to act on a global scale and respond to global challenges, such as poverty eradication, sustainable and inclusive development and and inequality, to promote sustainable development and its capacity regarding the worldwide promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights and the rule of law, its long-term andsocial and economic rights in its long-term and having regard to its predictable commitment to development assistance and its role in coordinating with its Member States. To ensure such impact, the principle of differentiation should be applied not only at the level of funds allocation, but also at the level of programming, to ensure that bilateral development cooperation targets partner countries most in need, including fragile states and states with high vulnerability, and with limited capacity to have access to other sources of financing for supporting their own development, having regard to the potential impact of the Union assistance in partner countries. As a consequence, bilateral programming would target such countries, pursuant to the application of objective criteria based on the needs and capacities of these countries, as well as the impact of EU assistance.
Amendment 247 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) This Regulation should provide an enabling framework for programming, allowing enhanced consistency between Union policies by using a joint framework documentherence in favour of sustainable development between Union policies as a basis for programming. It should enable full alignment with partner countries and regions by relying, where appropriate, on national development plans or similar comprehensive development documents, adopted by partner countries or regions in consultation with their respective parliaments and civil societies; and pursue a better coordination amongst donors, in particular between the Union and its Member States, through joint programming.
Amendment 248 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) In a globalised world, different internal EU policies such as environment, climate change, employment (including decent work for all), gender equality, energy, water, transport, health, education, justice and security, research and innovation, information society, migration, agriculture and, fisheries, trade and investment are increasingly becoming part of the EU's external action. Commission Communication ‘Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ underlines the commitment of the Union to promote in its internal and external policies smart, inclusive and sustainable growth bringing together three pillars: economic, social and environmentalThey should be in conformity with the principles of Policy Coherence for Development, as enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Union is committed to promote in its internal and external policies smart, inclusive and sustainable growth bringing together three pillars: economic, social and environmental. To fulfil these three pillars, the Union's internal and external policies aim at eliminating obstacles to development by formulating policies with respect to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as well as international treaties and agreements on environment and biodiversity.
Amendment 251 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Fighting climate change and protecting the environment are among the great challenges which face the Union and where the need for international action is urgent. In accordance with the intent stated in Commission Communication ‘A budget for Europe 2020’ of 29 June 2011, this Regulation should contribute to the objective of addressing at least 20% of the EU budget to low carbon and climate resilient society, and the global public goods and challenges programme should use at least 25% of its funds to cover climate change and environment. Adeveloping countries where the need for national and international actions in these two areas should, wherever possible, be mutually supportive in order to reinforce their impactss urgent.
Amendment 254 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Commission communication ‘Increasing the impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’EU Development Policy envisages continued support for social inclusion and human developmentservices through at least 20% of the Union's development aid. To contribute to that end, at least 20% of the global public goods and challenges programme should support that area of development.
Amendment 255 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The lists of partner countries under this Regulation should be adapted on the basis of possible changes to their status as established by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD/DAC), as well as important changes in human development, aid dependency, crisis situations, vulnerability and other aspects including the dynamics of the development process. Such updates, reviews of the partner countries eligible for bilateral development cooperation and modifications in the definitions of detailed areas of cooperation and activities, and adjustments of the indicative financial allocation per programme, constitute non- essential elements of this Regulation. Consequently, in order to adapt its scope to the rapidly evolving reality in third countries, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission for updating the Annexes of this Regulation which includes the list of partner countries and regions eligible for Union financing, the definition of detailed areas of cooperation under geographic and thematic programmes and the indicative allocations per programme. It is of particular importance that the Commission should carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level. The Commission, when preparing and drawing up delegated acts, should further ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and Council.
Amendment 257 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
Amendment 258 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
Amendment 260 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) a Pan-African programme to support the Joint Africa-EU Strategy in the countries, territories and regions covered by that Strategy.
Amendment 266 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the primary objective of cooperation under this Regulation shall be the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty;. To achieve this objective, the EU focuses on structural causes of poverty by implementing a rights-based approach to development in all its policies.
Amendment 267 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – introductory part
(b) cooperation under this Regulation will also contribute to the achievement of other objectives of EU external action, in particular:
Amendment 268 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
(ii) promoting democracy, the rule of law, good governance and respect for human rights including economic, social and cultural rights as well as international treaties on environment and biodiversity protection and mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and mitigation..
Amendment 270 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The achievement of these objectives shall be measured using relevant indicators, in particular MDG 1 for subparagraph (a) and MDGs 1 to 8 for subparagraph (b),the human development index and other indicators agreed by the Union and its Member States.
Amendment 275 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 276 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The Union seeks to promote, develop the universality and indivisibility of human rights, and consolidate the principles of democracy, the rule of law and respect for humanall aspects of human rights including social, economic and cultural rights and fundamental freedoms on which it is founded, through dialogue and cooperation with partner countries and regions.
Amendment 283 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. The following cross-cutting issues shall be mainstreamed in all programmes: the promotion of human rights - including economic, social and cultural rights - , gender equality, women empowerment, non- discrimination, democracy, good governance, the rights of the child and indigenous peoples' rights, social inclusion and the rights of persons with disabilities, environmental sustainability including addressing climate change and combating HIV/AIDS.
Amendment 288 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 4
Article 3 – paragraph 4
4. Particular attention shall be given to strengthening the rule of law, improving access to justice and supporting civil society, trade and sustainable development, access to ICTs, health and food security, as well as promoting dialogue, participation and reconciliation, and institution-buildingcivic and political rights, promoting dialogue with civil society and participation of the population in decision-making, peaceful resolution of conflict and democratic institution-building; improving access to justice, ICTs, health care, education and to quality and sufficient food.
Amendment 292 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 5
Article 3 – paragraph 5
5. In implementing this Regulation, consistency shall be ensured with other areas of Union external action and with other relevant Union policies. To this end, measures financed under this Regulation, including those managed by the EIB, shall be based on the cooperation policies set out in instruments such as agreements, declarations and action plans between the Union and the third countries and regions concerned, and on the Union's decisions, specific interests, policy priorities and strategiesMeasures financed under this Regulation, including those managed by the EIB, and action plans, policy priorities and strategies in the field of development policy between the Union and the third countries and regions concerned shall be based on the cooperation policies set out in this instrument.
Amendment 295 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 6
Article 3 – paragraph 6
6. The Commission and, the Member States and the European Parliament shall seek regular and frequent exchanges of information, including with other donors, and to promote better donor coordination and complementarity by working towards joint multiannual programming, based on partner countries' poverty reduction or equivalent strategies, by common implementation mechanisms including shared analysis, by joint donor- wide missions and by the use of co- financing and delegated cooperation arrangements.
Amendment 297 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – introductory part
8. The Union shall promote effective cooperation with partner countries and regions in line with international best practice. It shall increasingly align its support with partners' national or regional development strategies, reform policies and procedures. It shall contribute to strengthening the process ofapproved by the respective national/regional parliament. It shall contribute to strengthening the process of partner countries' domestic accountability to their citizens as well as mutual accountability between partner governments and institutions and donors and promote l. Local expertise and local employment will also be promoted. To that end, it shall promote :
Amendment 299 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – point a
(a) a development process that is partner country or region led and owned;Ownership: a partner country or region government shall identify, in consultation with their respective national/regional parliaments and civil society organisations concerned, priority sectors to be financed by the Union.
Amendment 301 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – point b
(b) inclusive and participatory approaches to development andthe empowerment of the population of partner countries, the strengthening of domestic accountability, the provision of participatory and transparent decision- making processes and of a mechanism for a broad involvement of all segments of society in the development process and in national and regional dialogue, including political dialogue;
Amendment 302 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – point c
Amendment 305 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 9
Article 3 – paragraph 9
9. The Union will support inter alia the implementation of bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation and dialogue, partnership agreements and triangular cooperation.
Amendment 310 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Geographic programmes and the Pan- African Programme may be drawn from the areas of cooperation contained in the ‘"European Consensus’", with the agreement of partner countries, amongst others, in order to attain the objectives provided for in Article 2(1).
Amendment 312 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 4
Article 5 – paragraph 4
4. Within each country programme, the Union will in principle concentrate its assistance on three sectors, agreed by the partner country.
Amendment 313 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) the actions address global initiatives supporting internationally agreed goals on development policy or in developing countries, or global public goods and challenges, in which case, by way of derogation from Article 9 of the Common Implementing Regulation, they may include actions in Member States, candidate countries and potential candidates and other third countries, as envisaged in the relevant thematic programme, provided these actions are eligible as ODA according to the OECD/DAC;
Amendment 314 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c – indent 4
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c – indent 4
– actions which reflect a Union policy priority in the field of development cooperation or an international obligation or commitment of the Union; in the field of development cooperation, and
Amendment 319 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. The objective of the programme on civil society organisations and local authorities in development shall be to organise a policy dialogue with civil society and local authorities from the North and the South on the Union's development policy and to finance initiatives in the area of development by or for civil society organisations and local authorities originating from partner countries, the Union, candidate countries and potential candidates.
Amendment 320 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 321 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 a (new)
Article 8 a (new)
Article 8 a Conflict prevention and peacebuilding 1. The objective of the thematic programme on conflict prevention and peacebuilding shall be to finance initiatives in the area of conflict prevention and peacebuilding in partner countries, including mediation activities. 2. The programme on conflict prevention and peacebuilding shall be subject to specific financial regulations guaranteeing rapid reaction and increased flexibility in programation and implementation of the initiatives, in line with the requirements of effective conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Amendment 322 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 b (new)
Article 8 b (new)
Amendment 323 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 325 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. The multiannual indicative programme for the Pan-African programme shall be drawn up on the basis of a strategy paper based on the Joint Africa- EU Strategy and its Action plans.
Amendment 326 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
For geographic programmes and the Pan- African Programme, multiannual indicative programmes forshall be drawn up by partner countries and regions shall be drawn upand submitted to the Union for financing on the basis of an agreed strategy document with the partner country/region, as provided for in Article 11.
Amendment 331 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Strategy papers are documents drawn up by the partner country and agreed with the Union to provide a coherent framework for development cooperation between the Union and the partner country or region concerned, consistent with the overall purpose and scope, objectives, principles and policy of the Unionpartner country and Union in the field of development.
Amendment 332 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
To that end, strategy papers shall, in principle, be based on a dialogue between the Union and the partner country or region, involving where appropriate, the relevant Member States, and the partner country or region, involvingso as to ensure that the country or region concerned prepares the strategy paper with the involvement of the national/regional parliament and in consultation with its respective civil society and regional and local authorities, so as to ensure that the country or region concerned takes sufficienttake full ownership of the process and to encourage support for national development strategies, particularly those for reducing poverty.
Amendment 334 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Strategy papers shall be drawn up forby the relevant partner countries or regions, unless a joint framework document laying down a comprehensive Union strategy, including development policy, has been drawn up fortogether with the partner country or region concerned and with the involvement of national/regional parliaments.
Amendment 335 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 – point a
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 – point a
(a) countries having a national development strategy in the form of a national development plan or a similar development document accepted by the Commission as a basis for the corresponding multiannual indicative programme, when adopting of the latter document;
Amendment 336 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 – point b
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 – point b
(b) countries or regions for which a joint multiannual programming document, including a chapter on development cooperation, between the Union and Member States and partner countries/regions has been agreed;
Amendment 337 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 – point c
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 – point c
(c) regions having a jointly agreed strategydevelopment strategy, involving regional parliaments, with the EU.
Amendment 338 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Multiannual indicative programmes shall be drawn up for each of thetogether with each countriesy or regions receiving an indicative allocation of Union funds under this Regulation Except for countries or regions mentioned in paragraph 4, these documents shall be drawn up on the basis of the strategy papers or similar documents referred to in this Article.
Amendment 339 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3
Multiannual indicative programmes shall set out the priority areas selectedagreed with partner countries/regions for Union financing, the specific objectives, the expected results, the performance indicators and the indicative financial allocation, both overall and per priority area. Where appropriate, this allocation may be given in the form of a range and/or somea limited amount of funds may be left unallocated.
Amendment 341 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 5
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 5
Pursuant to the principle of mutual accountability in the pursuit and fulfilment of agreed objectives, including those referring to good governance, democracy and respect for human rights and to the rule of law, social, economic and cultural rights as well as respect for the environment and biodiversity, indicative allocations may be increased or decreased as a result of reviews, particularly in the light of special needs such as those resulting from a crisis, post-crisis or fragility situation, or where performance has been exceptional or unsatisfactory.
Amendment 344 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
1. Multiannual indicative programmes for thematic programmes shall set out the Union's and partner country/region's strategy for the theme concerned, the priorities jointly selected for financing by the Union, the specific objectives, the expected results, the performance indicators, the international situation and the activities of the main partners. Where applicable, resources and intervention priorities shall be laid down for participation in global initiatives. Multiannual indicative programmes shall be consistent with the documents referred to in Article 11(3).
Amendment 345 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2
Article 13 – paragraph 2
2. The multiannual indicative programmes shall give the indicative financial allocation, both overall and by priority area. Where appropriate, this allocation may, be given in the form of a range, and/or somea limited amount of funds may be left unallocated. Multiannual indicative programmes should be adjusted where necessary for an effective policy implementation, taking into account any mid-term or ad hoc reviews.
Amendment 349 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. Strategy papers shall be approved and multiannual indicative programmes shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance with the examination procedureby way of delegated acts as referred to in Article 15(3)290 of the Common Implementing RegulatTreaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This procedure shall also apply to substantial reviews which have the effect of significantly modifying the strategy or its programming.
Amendment 352 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 2
Article 20 – paragraph 2
2. The indicative minimum amounts allocated to each programme referred to in Articles 5 to 9 for the period 2014-2020 are laid down in Annex VII. The amounts may be reallocated between programmes by a delegated act in accordance with Article 18. The amounts within the global public goods and challenges programme may be reallocated between subheadings by Commission decision which shall be communicated to the European Parliament and to the Council within one month of its adoption.
Amendment 361 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point a
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point a
(a) Democracy, human rights and the rule of law; - promoting political pluralism and protecting political, civil, social, economic, cultural and minority rights, in line with international agreements and in accordance with a human rights-based approach to development, - strengthening the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary systems and ensuring access to justice, - supporting and strengthening democratic institutions, including the role of parliaments and audit institutions, - supporting transparent and accountable institutions and their functioning, promoting decentralisation; promoting dialogue with social partners.
Amendment 372 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point d
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point d
(d) Tax policy and administration; - supporting the building up or strengthening of fair, transparent, effective, progressive and sustainable domestic tax systems which promote equity, poverty reduction and social cohesion, - strengthening monitoring capacities in developing countries in the fight against illicit financial flows, - supporting national oversight bodies, parliaments and civil society organisations, to produce and disseminate work on tax fraud and its impact, to ensure public scrutiny of public financial management, including tax governance performance and to assist in policy formulation, where appropriate and feasible, - supporting multilateral and regional initiatives on tax administration and tax reforms, - supporting developing countries to participate more effectively in international tax cooperation structures and processes, allowing them to negotiate relevant agreements, improve tax information exchange, - promoting country by country reporting on EU publicly-listed companies as well as large unlisted companies active in the extractive industry and the logging of primary forests to report the payments they make to local, regional and national governments in third countries.
Amendment 375 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point f
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point f
(f) Civil society and local authorities; - supporting capacity building of civil society organisations, in order to strengthen their voice and active participation in the development process and to advance political, social and economic dialogue, - supporting local authorities, and mobilising their expertise to promote a regional and local approach to development, e.g. through networks of excellence or twinning exercises, - promote an enabling environment for citizen participation and civil society action.
Amendment 378 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point g
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point g
(g) Natural resources; and- supporting oversight processes and bodies and backing governance reforms that promote the sustainable and transparent management and preservation of natural resources, including raw materials, maritime resources and forests, and ecosystem services, with particular attention to the dependence of vulnerable groups on them, especially smallholder farmers and indigenous groups, while ensuring a gender-sensitive approach and active participation of local communities, - promoting sustainable patterns of production and consumption and the safe and sustainable management of chemicals and waste, taking into account their impacts on health.
Amendment 381 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point h
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph I – point h
(h) Development-security nexus. - addressing the root-causes of violent conflict, including poverty, degradation of environment, exploitation of resources and unequal distribution of wealth as well as access to land and natural resources, weak governance, human rights abuses and gender inequality as a means of supporting conflict prevention, resolution and peace building, - promoting dialogue, participation and reconciliation with a view to promoting peace and preventing outbreaks of violence in accordance with international best practice as defined by the OECD/DAC, - fostering the independence of justice, the fight against drugs and other trafficking including trafficking in human beings, corruption and money laundering, with a specific focus on protecting poor and vulnerable groups and assisting them in building secure and sustainable livelihoods;
Amendment 382 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – title
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – title
II. Inclusive and sustainable growth forSustainable human development
Amendment 384 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – point a
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – point a
(a) Social protection, health, education and jobs; health, education, employment and social protection and jobs; - supporting sector reforms that increase access to basic social services, in particular quality health and education services, with a central focus on the related MDGs , and on access to such services by lower income population groups and marginalised groups, including women and children, persons belonging to groups subject to ethnic, religious or any other discrimination and persons with disabilities, - strengthening local capacities to respond to the challenge that the country /regions face, through sectoral budget support with intensified policy dialogue, - strengthening access to health systems in order to promote better health care, addressing the qualified human resource crisis of health providers, fair financing for health and making medicines more affordable for the poor, promoting policy coherence and increasing protection against global health threats so as to improve access to health care for all, - supporting the full implementation of strategies to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, while linking this with the fight against HIV/AIDS, - ensuring an adequate supply of sufficient and affordable good quality drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene to every human being, - enhancing support for and equal access to quality education to give young people, and in particular girls and women, the knowledge and skills to be active members of an evolving society; supporting vocational training for employability and capacity to carry out and use the results of research in favour of sustainable development, - supporting national social protection schemes including social insurance systems, which contribute to reducing inequalities, preventing social exclusion and combating discrimination against all groups, while paying particular attention to gender issues, the rights of indigenous peoples, children and the condition of disabled people, - supporting the decent work agenda , and promoting social dialogue, - encouraging policies to facilitate regional labour mobility.
Amendment 390 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – point b
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – point b
(b) Business environment, regional integration and world markets; and Regional integration - supporting the development of the local private sector, including promoting SMEs and cooperatives, - promoting the development of local and regional markets through Union Aid for Trade and trade facilitation instruments, - supporting legislative and regulatory framework reforms and their enforcement, including for the use of modern means of communication, facilitating access to business and financial services, such as micro-credit and micro-finance and reducing excessive regulatory burden; supporting the enforcement of internationally agreed labour rights, promoting corporate social responsibility and social dialogue, - promoting agricultural, industrial and innovation policies which contribute to sustainable and development in favour of the poorest regions and sectors of the society; foster cooperation in the area of science, research and technology , in particular for development-related research, - promoting investments that generate local employment and support human resources development; improving infrastructure in support of efforts to eradicate poverty with full respect for social and environmental standards; supporting national, regional and local public authorities and parliaments to enable them to regulate markets effectively, - engaging with the private sector, with a focus on financing for domestic and regional companies, in particular at SME level, in order to enhance socially responsible and sustainable development for the benefit of the population, - assisting developing countries through fostering equitable and environmentally sustainable development, supporting partners' policies in areas such as building local and regional markets, infrastructure and cross-border cooperation regarding access by the poor to water, sustainable energy and human security with a view to supporting social justice, - promoting a sustainable transport sectoral approach, meeting partner countries' needs, ensuring transport safety, affordability, efficiency, and minimising negative effects on the environment, - supporting more generalized access to information and communication technologies to bridge the digital divide.
Amendment 396 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – point c
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph II – point c
(c) Sustainable agriculture and energy. , food security and sustainable energy. - supporting the development of infrastructures to commercialize food from the surplus to the deficit area and putting in place storage for food at local and regional level, - supporting sustainable agricultural practices and relevant agricultural research, including the safeguarding of ecosystem services, giving priority to locally-developed practices and focusing on smallholder agriculture and rural livelihoods, formation of producer groups, the supply and marketing chain and supporting women in agriculture, - encouraging government efforts to facilitate socially and ecologically responsible private investment and assess the impact of large scale land-acquisitions on food security, - supporting strategic approaches to food security, with a focus on food availability, - addressing food insecurity in situations of transition and fragility, by supporting interventions to protect, maintain and recover productive and social assets vital for food security, to facilitate economic integration and longer-term rehabilitation, - supporting country-led, participatory, decentralised and environmentally sustainable local and regional development, aimed at involving beneficiaries in the identification of investments, - supporting transparent and effective institutional and financial environments to improve access to modern, affordable, sustainable and efficient renewable energy services, with a priority for local and regional sustainable energy solutions, and decentralised energy production, so as to bring development priorities in line with environmental concerns.
Amendment 400 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph III – point b
Annex IV – Chapter A – paragraph III – point b
(b) Migration and asylum; and - supporting targeted efforts to fully exploit the interrelationship between migration, mobility, employment and poverty eradication, so as to make migration a positive force for development, - putting in place a program to deal with brain drain and to address the shortage of skilled persons in different fields, in support of development, - support developing countries in adopting long-term policies for managing migratory flows, including human trafficking, which respect the human rights of migrants and their families and enhance their social protection
Amendment 407 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Chapter B – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Annex IV – Chapter B – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) Assisting Latin-American states to fulfil their obligation of due diligence in the prevention, investigation, legal prosecution, sanction and reparation of and attention to feminicide; among others through: - Strengthening the investigation and prosecution of feminicide, by providing training for judges and members of the security forces on feminicide; providing assistance for the establishment of unified protocols for cases of feminicide; providing training and advisory assistance and supporting scientific developments, documentation and dissemination with regard to Latin-American forensic anthropology, - Providing technical and financial support to the work of the Inter-American System of Human Rights, in particular on the issue of feminicide and contributing to the implementation of its sentences, - Supporting the establishment of data bases on feminicides, - Supporting governmental and non- governmental local, national and regional organisations in developing preventive measures against feminicide.
Amendment 424 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – introductory part
Annex V – Chapter A – introductory part
In compliance with the conditions laid down in Article 6, the Global public goods and challenges programme aims at strengthening cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experience and partner countries' capacities. The programme may with a view to adopting policies which contribute to poverty eradication and sustainable development. The programme, while ensuring an adequate contribution to supporting access to basic social services, shall be drawn inter alia from the following areas of cooperation, ensuring a maximum synergy amongst them in light of their strong interconnection:
Amendment 427 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 1 – point c
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) promoting implementation ofing the Union initiatives and agreed commitments at international and regional level and/or of a transboundary character particularly in the areas of climate change through the promotion of climate resilient strategies especially adaptiongiving priority to strategies withto promote biodiversity co-benefits, biodiversity and ecosystems services, forests including, protection of ecosystems and natural resources, sustainable management including oceans, land, water, fisheries and forests (e.g. through mechanisms such as FLEGT), desertification, integrated water resource management, natural resource management, sound chemical asound waste management, resource efficiency and the green economy;
Amendment 428 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 1 – point c
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 1 – point c
(cd) contributing to increasing the integration and mainstreaming of climate change and environmental protection objectives in EU aiddevelopment cooperation policy through policy coherence including support for methodological and research work in and by developing countries, including monitoring, reporting and verification mechanisms, ecosystem mapping, assessment and evaluation, enhancing environmental expertise and promoting innovative actions and policy coherence;
Amendment 432 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 2 – point a
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) promoting access to secure, and affordable, clean and sustain renewable energy services as a key driver for poverty eradication and inclusive growth, with a special emphasis on the use of local energy sources and of ensuring access for poor people in remote areas;
Amendment 437 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 2 – point c
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) promoting energy security for partner countries and local communities through e.g. diversification of sources and routes, considering price volatility issues, emission reduction potential, improving markets and fostering energy interconnections and trade.
Amendment 438 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point a
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) Growth, jobs and private sector engagement Promoting actions aiming at creating more and better jobs, by developing a socially and ecologically responsible local private sector and improving the business environment, supporting local industries, supporting regional integration efforts through the promotion of the green economy: resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production processes. Promoting the use of electronic modern means of communication as a tool to support pro-poor growth across all sectors in order to bridge the digital divide between developing and industrialized countries and inside developing countries, to achieve an adequate policy and regulatory framework in this area and promoting the development of the necessary infrastructure and the use of services and applications based on ICT.
Amendment 440 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point a
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point a
Promoting actions aiming at creating more and better jobs, in areas such as developing the competitiveness and resilience of local MSMEs and their integration into the global economy, assisting developing countries to integrate into the multilateral trading system, developing the private sector and improving the business environment, supporting the definition and implementation of industrial innovation and technology policies and of trade policies and agreeby developing a socially and ecologically responsible local private sector and improving the business environment, supporting local added value and industrial developments, supporting regional integration efforts, promoting investment relations between the EU and partner countries and regions and leveraging private and public investment and cooperation through innovative financial instruments. Promoting through the promotion of the green economy,: resource efficiency and, sustainable consumption and production processes. Promoting the use of electronic modern means of communications as a tool to support pro- poor growth across all sectors in order to bridge the digital divide between developing and industrialized countries and inside developing countries, to achieve an adequate policy and regulatory framework in this area and promoting the development of necessary infrastructure and the use of services and applications based on ICT.
Amendment 442 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point b – point i
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point b – point i
(i) Supporting high levels of productive and decent employment notably with support for sound employment policies and strategies, vocational training for employability relevant to local labour market needs and perspectives, working conditions including in the informal economy, promotion of decent work, based on the labour standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO), including fight against child labour, andpromoting social dialogue, as well as facilitation of labour mobility while respecting and promoting migrants' rights;
Amendment 444 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point b – point i a (new)
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point b – point i a (new)
(ia) Promoting the WHO code of conduct on the international recruitment of qualified health personnel from developing countries to curb the shortage of health personnel and the brain drain,
Amendment 449 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point c – point i
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point c – point i
(i) Supporting country and regional level programmes to promote women's economic and social empowerment and political participation;
Amendment 452 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point c – point ii
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point c – point ii
(ii) supporting national, regional and global initiatives to promote the integration of this issue ingender equality and women's empowerment into policies, plans and budgets, including in international, national and regional development frameworks and into the aid effectiveness agenda.
Amendment 467 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point e a (new)
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point e a (new)
(ea) Children and youth (i) combating trafficking of and all forms of violence against children, and promotion of policies taking into consideration youth's and children's particular vulnerability and potentials, protection of their rights and interests, education, health and livelihoods, starting with participation and empowerment; (ii) enhancing developing countries' attention and capacity to develop policies benefiting youth and children and promoting the role of children and youth as actors for development. (iii) supporting the development of concrete strategies and interventions to address particular problems and challenges affecting youth and children taking their best interests into account in all relevant action.
Amendment 468 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point e b (new)
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 3 – point e b (new)
(eb) Culture (i) promotion of inter-cultural dialogue, cultural diversity and respect for the equal dignity of all cultures; (ii) promotion of international cooperation to stimulate the contribution of cultural industries to economic growth in developing countries to fully exploit its potential for fighting poverty, including addressing issues such as market access and intellectual property rights; (iii) promotion of respect for the social, cultural and spiritual values of indigenous peoples and minorities to enhance equality and justice in multi- ethnic societies, in compliance with universal human rights to which everyone is entitled, including indigenous peoples and persons belonging to minorities; (iv) supporting culture as a promising economic sector for development and growth.
Amendment 469 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 4 – introductory part
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 4 – introductory part
The programme will strengthen cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experience and partner countries' capacities on the fourive pillars of food security, with a gender-sensitive approach: food availability (production), access (including markets,land, infrastructure for food transport from surplus to deficit area, local and regional market building, establishing domestic food reserves for safety nets and gender awareness), utilisation (nutrition interventions in socially aware ways) and stability, while prioritising four dimensions: smallholder agriculture, governance, regional integration andfood processing to create added value, governance (participation of farmers in policy making) , regional integration and providing public support to household farmers including assistance mechanisms for vulnerable populations.
Amendment 471 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 4 – point a
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 4 – point a
(a) Promoting the development of sustainable smallholder agriculture through ecosystem-based, low carbon and climate- resilient secure access to technology (including information and communication technologies), and through extension and technical services, rural development schemes, productive and responsible investment measures, land and natural resource management, protection of genetic diversity, in an enabling economic environment;in accordance with international guidelines, sustainable land and natural resource management, guaranteeing, by law, land rights of the population in its various form and provide access to land for local populations, protection of genetic diversity,
Amendment 474 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 4 – point b
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 4 – point b
(b) supporting environmentally and socially responsible aware policy making and governance of the relevant sectors, the role of the public and non-public actors in its regulation and the use of public goods, its organisational capacity, professional organisations and institutions;
Amendment 476 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 5 – introductory part
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 5 – introductory part
Migration and Asylum The programme, funded on a human rights based approach to migration, will address the challenges of migration flows, and in particular South-South migration, the situation of vulnerable migrants such as unaccompanied minors, victims of trafficking, asylum seekers, migrant women, and the condition of children, women and families left in the countries of origin.
Amendment 477 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 5 – point a
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 5 – point a
(a) Promoting migration governance at all levels, with a particular focus on the social and economic consequences of migration, and recognising the key role of civil society organisations, including diaspora, and local authorities in addressing migration as an essential component of the development strategy;
Amendment 478 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 5 – point b
Annex V – Chapter A – paragraph 5 – point b
(b) ensuring better management of migratory flows in all their dimensions, in line with respect for human rights and improving the integration of migrants in countries of destination;
Amendment 480 #
2011/0406(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – Chapter B – paragraph 3 – point c
Annex V – Chapter B – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) raising public awareness of development issues and promoting formal and informal education for development in the Union, in candidate and potential candidate countries, to anchor development policy in European societies, to mobilise greater public support for action against poverty and for more equitable relations between developed and developing countries, to raise awareness of the issues and difficulties facing developing countries and their peoples, and to promote the social dimension of globalisation;
Amendment 65 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) Offshore oil and gas operations are taking place in increasingly challenging environments and under extreme conditions, where accidents are likely to have devastating and irreversible consequences on the marine and coastal environment as well as significant negative impacts on coastal economies.
Amendment 67 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
Amendment 70 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In accordance with Directive 85/337/EEC, as amended, which applies to exploration and exploitation of oil and gas activities, projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue, inter alia, of their nature, size or location are made subject to an assessment with regard to their effects and a requirement for development consent. In line with the Århus Convention and Directive 85/337/EEC when an activity is subject to development consent an effective public participation should be provided in accordance with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. Members of the public concerned should have access to justice in order to contribute to the protection of the right to live in an environment which is adequate for personal health and well-being.
Amendment 72 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) Directive 85/337/EEC1, on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended, has harmonised the principles of the environmental impact assessments of projects by introducing general minimum requirements. The Commission should consider developing guidance for evaluating the impacts of all offshore project phases, including exploration, operation and decommissioning, as well as developing specific requirements for extreme operating conditions. ___________ 1 OJ L 175, 5.7. 85, p. 40.
Amendment 73 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 40
Recital 40
(40) The serious environmental concerns and vulnerability relating to the unique Arctic waters, a neighbouring marine environment of particular importance for the Community which plays an important role in mitigating climate change, require special attention to ensure the environmental protection of the Arctic in relation to any. As long as an effective response to any accident in the Arctic conditions cannot be guaranteed, Member States should refrain from authorising offshore activities, including exploration, in the area.
Amendment 77 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 41 a (new)
Recital 41 a (new)
(41a) Equipment for capping any potential spills should be an essential part of emergency plans and be readily available for use in proximity to installations to allow for timely and effective deployment in the event of a major accident.
Amendment 80 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 48
Recital 48
(48) Member States should ensure that operators in their jurisdiction demonstrate their ability to pay for the consequences of damage caused by their operations, through the provision of financial security, and should decide which instruments (inter alia insurance, reserve funds, bank guarantees, and/or risk pooling) are appropriate for this purpose. As no existing financial security instruments, including risk pooling arrangements, can accommodate all possible consequences of extreme accidents, the Commission should proceed with further analysis and studies of the appropriate measures to ensure adequately robust liability regime for damages related to offshore oil and gas operations, and requirements on financial capacity including improving the availability of appropriated financial security instruments or other arrangements. and arrangements. The Commission should report on the findings and proposals within one year after adoption of this Regulation.
Amendment 86 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 1
Article 2 – point 1
1. ‘accepttolerable’ shall mean: rendering aoperating conditions where response measures are available and not prohibitively expensive, while the risk of a major accident tolerablehas been reduced to the furthest extent possible beyond which no significant reduction of the risk is derived from the input of further time, resources or cost; Or. en (If adopted, the reference to "acceptable" in Article 3 paragraph 4 is also changed to "tolerable".)
Amendment 89 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 19 a (new)
Article 2 – point 19 a (new)
19a. 'oil spill response gap' shall mean: a situation in which activities that may cause an oil spill are conducted during times when an effective response cannot be achieved, either because technologies available will not be effective or because their deployment is precluded due to environmental conditions or other limiting factors;
Amendment 100 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Operators shall ensure that their operations in extreme operating conditions compromise neither accident prevention nor remediation. Where risks cannot be avoided or managed to an acceptable level, a competent authority shall refuse authorisation. When granting authorisations, due account shall be taken of the effectiveness of accident prevention and emergency response capacities, including through the use of oil spill response gap analysis models. Operators shall ensure the highest level of performance in accident prevention and remediation at least equal to best practice performance under normal operating conditions, including sufficiency of resources, levels of safety for mobilisation, deployment times and oil and gas clean-up and recovery rates.
Amendment 101 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 4 b (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. On the basis of the precautionary principle and taking into account the remaining oil spill response gap and lack of effective intervention capacities, Member States shall refrain from authorising any offshore hydrocarbon exploration and extraction operations in the Arctic.
Amendment 103 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. In particular, when assessing the technical and financial capacity of the entities that apply for authorisation for offshore oil and gas activities, due account shall be taken of the risk, hazards and any other relevant information related to the area concerned and the particular stage of exploration and production operations and also of the applicants‘ financial capacities, including any financial security and capacity to cover all liabilities potentially deriving from offshore oil and gas activities in question, in particular liability for environmental damages. Worldwide corporate responsibility regarding accidents or incidents in which the applicant was involved, including the transparency and effectiveness of any response measures shall also be taken into account.
Amendment 105 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Member States shall ensure that the licensing authority does not grant an authorisation unless it is satisfied that the applicant has supplied evidence of adequate provisions by way of financial security, on the basis of arrangements to be decided by the Member States, to cover all liabilities potentially deriving from its offshore oil and gas activities, in particular liability for environmental damage. The financial security shall be valid and effective before the commencement of well operations.
Amendment 108 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Licensing authorities pursuant to Directive 94/22/EC shall, when assessing the technical and financial capacity of the entities that apply for authorisation for offshore oil and gas activities, take into account the risks, hazards and any other relevant information related to the location concerned and the particular stage of exploration and production operations. based on the environmental impact assessment carried out pursuant to Directive 85/337/EEC as amended and shall ensure that financial securities are proportionate to those conditions. In the case of a conflict, the opinion of the licensing authority under Directive 94/22/EC shall not take precedence over those of the competent authorities for health, safety and the environment.
Amendment 114 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Entities applying for authorisation for offshore oil and gas activities shall fully disclose evidence of financial and technical capacity and any other relevant information related to the area concerned and the particular stage of exploration and production operations. The competent authorities shall make the information available to the public.
Amendment 117 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4 b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. The Commission shall, by [one year after adoption of this Regulation], submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a report on the availability of financial security instruments, accompanied by proposals for arrangements to facilitate the provision of financial security.
Amendment 118 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that the public shall be given early and effective opportunities to participate in procedures concerning licensing procedurand authorisation procedures for offshore oil and gas activities in their jurisdiction in accordance with the requirements of Annex I to this Regulation. The procedures shall be those laid down in Annex II of Directive 2003/35/EC.
Amendment 120 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5a Access to justice 1. Member States shall ensure that, in accordance with the relevant national legal system, members of the public concerned have access to a review procedure before a court of law or another independent and impartial body established by law to challenge the substantive or procedural legality of decisions, acts or omissions in the context of authorisation and licensing procedures when one of the following conditions is met: (a) they have a sufficient interest; (b) they maintain the impairment of a right, where the administrative procedural law of a Member State requires this as a precondition. 2. Member States shall determine at what stage the decisions, acts or omissions may be challenged. 3. What constitutes a sufficient interest and impairment of a right shall be determined by Member States, consistently with the objective of giving the public concerned wide access to justice. To this end, the interest of any non- governmental organisation promoting environmental protection and meeting any requirements under national law shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of paragraph 1(a). Such organisations shall also be deemed to have rights capable of being impaired for the purpose of paragraph 1(b). 4. Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not exclude the possibility of a preliminary review procedure before an administrative authority and shall not affect the requirement of exhaustion of administrative review procedures prior to recourse to judicial review procedures, where such a requirement exists under national law. Any such procedure shall be fair, equitable, timely and not prohibitively expensive. 5. Member States shall ensure that practical information is made available to the public on access to administrative and judicial review procedures.
Amendment 124 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 a (new)
Article 8 a (new)
Article 8a Agency control of offshore safety 1. The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) or a new appropriately established Agency, hereafter 'the Agency', shall provide the Commission and Member States with technical and scientific assistance in order to ensure risk minimisation and proper application of Union legislation in the field of offshore oil and gas safety. 2. The Agency shall review authorisations granted under this Regulation, audit competent authorities, and have oversight of inspections as well as Member State arrangements for emergency response. 3. The Agency shall in addition have the following responsibilities with regard to emergency response: (i) assisting Member States and the Commission in detecting and monitoring the extent and environmental impact of an oil spill and safety risks from installations or vessels operating around them; (ii) assisting Member States with remediation and clean-up efforts and coordinating transboundary emergency response following a major accident, including in the case of transboundary impacts beyond EU waters; (iii) assisting Member States during accident investigations involving offshore oil and gas installations, including the screening of corrective measures; The Agency shall promote high safety standards and best practice for offshore oil and gas activities internationally, through appropriate regional and global fora.
Amendment 126 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) evidence of the operator's financial security.
Amendment 130 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. The Commission shall, in cooperation with the Agency, draw up and regularly update a list of organisations recognised as independent third party verifiers for production installations in accordance with Article 35.
Amendment 143 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 6
Article 18 – paragraph 6
6. Licensees, operators and major contractors based in the Union shall endeavour to conduct their offshore oil and gas operations when outside the Union in accordance with the principles set out in this Regulation.
Amendment 159 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 3
Article 22 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall keep updated records of emergency response resources available in their jurisdiction by both public and private entities. Those records shall be made available to other Member States or potentially affected third countries, to the Agency and to the Commission.
Amendment 161 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1
1. The information pursuunder Article 22 to 25 antd Annex VI shall be made publicly available without a need for request pursuant to applicable provisions of Union legislation onby the competent authority without a need for request in accordance with Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 on public access to environmental information.
Amendment 162 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2
Article 23 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission, assisted by the Agency, shall by means of an implementing measure also determine a common publication format that shall enable easy cross-border comparison of data. This implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 4 of the Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. While remaining accessible to general public, the common publication format shall be developed in view of the allowing for a reliable comparison of national operations and regulatory practices pursuant to this Article and Article 24.
Amendment 170 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 3
Article 24 – paragraph 3
3. Every two years, the Commission shall publish reports on the safety of offshore operations across the Union based on the information reported to it by Member States and the European Maritime Safety Agency. The Commission shall be assisted in this task by the Agency and relevant Member States pursuant Article 267.
Amendment 173 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2
Article 25 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall conduct thorough investigations of major accidents involving significant damage (to persons and environment) or involving major loss of assets. The report of the investigation shall include an assessment of the effectiveness of the competent authority's regulationoversight of the installation concerned in the time preceding the accident and recommendations for adequate changes to the relevant regulatory practices where needed.
Amendment 175 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 3
Article 25 – paragraph 3
3. A summary of the investigation report prepared pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article shall be made available to the Commission and the Agency at the conclusion of the investigation or at the conclusion of legal proceedings, whichever is the later. A specific version of the report, that takes into account possible legal limitations, shall be made available publicly with regard to Articles 22 and 23.
Amendment 190 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) be initiated to contain an incipient major accident within the installprevent escalation or limit consequences of an accident related to offshore oil and gas operation, ors within thean exclusion zone established by the Member State around the perimeter of the installation, or subsea wellhead or pipeline;
Amendment 195 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 5
Article 29 – paragraph 5
5. The operator shall periodically test the effectiveness of the internal emergency response plaannually test the internal emergency response plan to demonstrate the effectiveness of their response equipment and capabilities in order to guarantee a high level of safety and performance in evacuation, containment and control, recovery, clean- up and disposal operations.
Amendment 197 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. The operator shall make the internal emergency response plans publicly available.
Amendment 198 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 1
Article 30 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare external emergency response plans covering all offshore oil and gas installations or connected infrastructure and potentially affected areas within their jurisdiction. The external emergency response plans shall specify the role of operators in the external emergency response, and the operators' liability regarding the costs of external emergency response.
Amendment 201 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2
Article 30 – paragraph 2
2. External emergency response plans shall be prepared with the cooperation of relevant operators and, as appropriate, licensees, and aligned with the internal emergency response plans of the installations stationed or plannedexisting or planned installations or connected infrastructure in the subject area. Any update to the internal plans advised by an operator should be taken into account.
Amendment 220 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 37 a (new)
Article 37 a (new)
Article 37a Amendment to Directive 2008/99/EC on the protection of the environment through criminal law Directive 2008/99/EC is hereby amended as follows: (1) in Article 3, the following point is added : '(j) a major oil pollution accident.' (2) In Annex A, the following indent is added: '– Regulation XX/XX/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on safety of offshore oil and gas prospection, exploration and production activities'
Amendment 227 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
(-a) it is an independent legal entity;
Amendment 228 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
(-a) the independent third party shall have no conflict of interest with the operator of the installation or the well operator;
Amendment 229 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point -a a (new)
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point -a a (new)
(-aa) the independent third party, and the persons assisting it, shall have no commercial or financial interest in the operations to be undertaken by the operator.
Amendment 230 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Annex II – part 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) he is sufficiently independent of a management system which has, or has had, any responsibility for any aspect of a component in the independent scheme of verification or well examination so as to ensure he will be objective in carrying out his functions within the scheme;
Amendment 231 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – paragraph 3 – point i
Annex III – paragraph 3 – point i
(i) an assessment of the availability and sufficiency of emergency response equipment and adequacy of procedures to effectively put it in use, including oil spill response gap analysis where relevant;
Amendment 232 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – paragraph 3 – point i a (new)
Annex III – paragraph 3 – point i a (new)
(ia) an assessment of the effectiveness of the operator's emergency response capacities, including worst case discharge deployment and recovery performances.
Amendment 236 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point e
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) a description of the equipment and the resources available, including for capping any potential spill;
Amendment 237 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) evidence of prior assessments of any chemicals used as dispersants that have been carried out to minimise public health implications and further environmental damage;
Amendment 238 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point g
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) arrangements that coordinate with the recovery arrangements described in the major hazards report for example as described in Annex II, part (2) (7), and part (3) (7) to secure a good prospect of survival for persons on the installation and minimise environmental damage during a major accident;
Amendment 239 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
Annex V – part 1 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
(ia) an estimate of an oil spill response gap, expressed as a percentage of time, and a description of the operating limitations at the installations concerned. This gap-analysis involves a calculation of the maximum response operating limits of spill response systems for a set of environmental and safety factors and an analysis of the frequency, duration and timing of conditions that would preclude a response in a particular location. Environmental conditions to be considered in this response calculation shall include: (i) weather, including wind, visibility, precipitation and temperature; (ii) sea states, tides, and currents; (iii) ice and debris presence; (iv) hours of daylight; and (v) other known environmental conditions that might influence the efficiency of the response equipment or the overall effectiveness of a response effort;
Amendment 240 #
2011/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – part 2 – point 2 – point d a (new)
Annex V – part 2 – point 2 – point d a (new)
(da) evidence of prior environment and health assessments of any chemicals foreseen for use as dispersants,
Amendment 84 #
2011/0300(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(b a) collaborative scheme: the comprehensive decision may encompass multiple individual legally binding decisions issued by the Competent Authority and other authorities concerned. The competent authority shall, in consultation with the other authorities concerned establish, on a case-by-case basis, a reasonable time limit within which the individual decisions can be issued, as well as the resulting total permitting time limit. The competent authority shall monitor the compliance of the time limits by the authorities concerned. If the decision by the authority involved is expected not to be delivered within the time limit, that authority shall inform the competent authority forthwith and include a justification for the delay.
Amendment 116 #
2011/0300(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – part 1 – point 1 – paragraph 1
Annex III – part 1 – point 1 – paragraph 1
(1) For electricity projects falling under the categories set out in point 1 of Annex II, each Group shall be composed of representatives of the competent authorities of the Member States, national regulatory authorities, transmission system operators following their obligation to cooperate on a regional level in accordance with Article 6 of Directive 2009/72/EC and Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 714/2009 and project promoters concerned by each of the relevant priorities designated in Annex I, as well as the Commission, the Agency and the ENTSO for Electricity.
Amendment 117 #
2011/0300(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – part 1 – point 1 – paragraph 2
Annex III – part 1 – point 1 – paragraph 2
For gas projects falling under the categories set out in point 2 of Annex II, each Group shall be composed of representatives of the competent authorities of the Member States, national regulatory authorities, transmission system operators following their obligation to cooperate on a regional level in accordance with Article 7 of Directive 2009/73/EC and Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 and project promoters concerned by each of the relevant priorities designated in Annex 1, as well as the Commission, the Agency and the ENTSO for Gas.
Amendment 118 #
2011/0300(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – part 1 – point 1 – paragraph 3
Annex III – part 1 – point 1 – paragraph 3
For oil and carbon dioxide transport projects falling under the categories referred to in Annex II(3) and (4), each Group shall be composed of the representatives of the competent authorities of the Member States, project promoters concerned by each of the relevant priorities designated in Annex 1 and the Commission.
Amendment 36 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 21
Part 2 – Article 21
Amendment 39 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Each priority shall set out measurable qualititative and quantitative indicators to assess progress of programme implementation towards achievement of objectives as the basis for monitoring, evaluation and review of performance. These shall include:
Amendment 40 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
(ca) indicators relating to the impact of the operations on safety, noise emissions, the environment and climate change.
Amendment 41 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
For each CSF Fund, the Fund-specific rules shall set out common measurable qualitative and quantitative indicators and may provide for programme-specific indicators.
Amendment 42 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Each programme, plan and project related to transport and mobility shall be based on an assessment of the effects on safety and on the avoidance of accidents in accordance with the Union's target to reduce heavy accidents by 50% by 2020.
Amendment 43 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4
4. Each programme, except those which cover exclusively technical assistance, shall include measurable qualitative and quantitative targets and milestones, programme-specific indicators and a description of the actions to take into account order to comply with the principles set out in Articles 7 and 8.
Amendment 44 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Each programme shall set out the actions taken to involve the partners referred to in Article 5 in all stages of the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme, in accordance with the European code of conduct referred to in Article 5(3).
Amendment 45 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4 b (new)
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4 b (new)
Amendment 46 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4 c (new)
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Each programme, plan and project shall be based on a carbon-proofing assessment, in accordance with the Europe 2020 targets. The Commission shall define a common methodology for those assessments according to the procedure referred to in Article 143.
Amendment 47 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 5
Part 2 – Article 24 – paragraph 5
5. Each programme, except those where technical assistance is undertaken under a specific programme, shall set out the indicative amount of support to be used for climate change objectivesand biodiversity objectives, including objectives relating to Natura 2000.
Amendment 51 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 39
Part 2 – Article 39
Member States shall adopt the necessary measures to ensure that the capital resources and gains and other earnings or yields attributable to the support from the CSF Funds to financial instruments are used in accordance with the aims of the programme for a period of at least 10 years after the closure of the programme. The amount left over after 10 years after the closure of the programme shall be transferred to the general budget of the Union.
Amendment 53 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 48 – paragraph 3 – point m
Part 2 – Article 48 – paragraph 3 – point m
(m) the adequacy of planned measures to promote sustainable development and to avoid future external costs to European society.
Amendment 54 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 48 – paragraph 3 – point m a (new)
Part 2 – Article 48 – paragraph 3 – point m a (new)
(ma) the adequacy of planned or taken measures to involve partners referred to in Article 5 in the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Partnership Contract and the programmes.
Amendment 55 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 48 – paragraph 4
Part 2 – Article 48 – paragraph 4
4. The ex ante evaluation shall incorporate, where appropriate, the requirements for Strategic Environmental Assessment set out in implementation of Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment and shall include assessments of the effects of programmes on climate change and biodiversity, including trans-border aspects where appropriate.
Amendment 57 #
2011/0276(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – Article 61 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Part 2 – Article 61 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
An operation comprising investment in infrastructure or productive investment shall repay the contribution from the CSF Funds if within fiveten years from the final payment to the beneficiary or within the period of time set out in the State aid rules, where applicable, it is subject to:
Amendment 4 #
2011/0261(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The recent financial crisis has led to debates at all levels about a possible additional tax on the financial sector and in particular a financial transactions tax (FTT). This debate stems from the desire to ensure the financial sector contribute to covering the costs of the crisis and that it is taxed in a fair way vis-à-vis other sectors for the future; to curb speculation, in particular on commodity markets, thus limiting food price volatility and its impacts on food security; to dis-incentivise excessively risky activities by financial institutions; to complement regulatory measures aimed at avoiding future crises and to generate additional revenue for general budgets or specific policy purposes such as the financing of public goods and Union development policies especially towards the achievement of MDGs.
Amendment 7 #
2011/0261(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) The revenue of the FTT, the objective of which is a more social and fair redistribution of wealth, should be additional to the national development aid commitments of 0,7% of GNI and allocated towards the financing of public goods such as Union development policies, poverty reduction and the fight against climate change in developing countries. These targets should remain an essential part of this new revenue.
Amendment 12 #
2011/0261(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18 a (new)
Recital 18 a (new)
(18a) In case no agreement amongst the EU 27 is found by September 2012, Member States willing to implement the FTT should advance by formally requesting enhanced cooperation under TFEU article 329. The EP should give its consent speedily, under the condition that the Member States in question commit to invoking TFEU article 333 paragraph 2 to adopt a decision stipulating that they will act under the ordinary legislative procedure.
Amendment 13 #
2011/0261(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 2
2. This Directive shall apply to all financial transactions, including spot currency transactions, on condition that at least one party to the transaction is established in a Member State and that a financial institution established in the territory of a Member State is party to the transaction, acting either for its own account or for the account of another person, or is acting in the name of a party to the transaction.
Amendment 14 #
2011/0261(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Enhanced Cooperation In case no agreement amongst the EU 27 is found by September 2012, Member States willing to implement the FTT shall advance by formally requesting enhanced cooperation under TFEU article 329. The EP shall give its consent speedily, under the condition that the Member States in question commit to invoking TFEU article 333 paragraph 2 to adopt a decision stipulating that they will act under the ordinary legislative procedure.
Amendment 17 #
2011/0261(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 a (new)
Article 17 a (new)
Article 17a Use of revenue as own resource for EU budget Part of the revenue arising from the FTT in the Union should be used as own resources for the EU Budget, of which a significant percentage should be invested in financing Union development cooperation policies and the fight against climate change in developing countries.
Amendment 11 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Title
Title
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 as regards electronic identification of bovine animals and deleting the provisions on voluntary beef labellingthe labelling of beef products
Amendment 40 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19 a (new)
Recital 19 a (new)
(19a) So far, there is no specific legislation on cloning. However, opinion polls show that this issue is of great interest for the European public. It is therefore appropriate to ensure that beef derived from cloned animals or their descendants is labelled as such. This provision should apply transitionally, until specific legislation is introduced prohibiting the placing on the market of food from cloned animals and their descendants.
Amendment 41 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19 b (new)
Recital 19 b (new)
(19b) The labelling of beef has been well- regulated for years, and can serve as a model for meat labelling in general. However, there is a gap in ensuring full transparency for consumers when it comes to the labelling of beef derived from animals which have been fed with genetically modified organisms. As there is a clear public demand, it is appropriate to introduce mandatory labelling requirements for beef from animals which have been fed with genetically modified organisms, with a view to ensuring such labelling for all animal products at a later stage.
Amendment 44 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
Amendment 54 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000
Article 2
Article 2
(1a) In Article 2, the following definition is added: "cloned animals" means animals produced by means of a method of asexual, artificial reproduction with the aim of producing a genetically identical or nearly identical copy of an individual animal,
Amendment 55 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 1 b (new)
Article 1 – point 1 b (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000
Article 2
Article 2
(1b) In Article 2, the following definition is added: "descendants of cloned animals" means animals produced by means of sexual reproduction, in cases in which at least one of the progenitors is a cloned animal,
Amendment 56 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 1 c (new)
Article 1 – point 1 c (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000
Article 2
Article 2
(1c) In Article 2, the following definition is added: "genetically modified feed" means feed as defined in point 7 of Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003.
Amendment 81 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 11 – point b a (new)
Article 1 – point 11 – point b a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000
Article 13 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 5 a (new)
(ba) The following paragraph is added: "5a. As from [6 months from entry into force] operators and organisations shall also indicate on their labels where the beef is derived from cloned animals or descendants of cloned animals."
Amendment 82 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 11 – point b b (new)
Article 1 – point 11 – point b b (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000
Article 13 – paragraph 5 b (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 5 b (new)
(bb) The following paragraph is added: "5b. As from [6 months from entry into force] operators and organisations shall also indicate on their labels where the beef is derived from animals which have been fed with genetically modified feed."
Amendment 93 #
2011/0229(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 14
Article 1 – point 14
Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000
Articles 16 - 18
Articles 16 - 18
Amendment 3 #
2011/0228(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1
Article 1
Directive 64/432/EEC
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – part C – point 1 – indents 5 a (new) and 5 b (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – part C – point 1 – indents 5 a (new) and 5 b (new)
– where applicable, the fact that the animal is a cloned animal, – where applicable, the fact that the animal is a descendant of a cloned animal, indicating how many generations the descendant is removed from the cloned animal,
Amendment 158 #
2011/0177(APP)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39a. Points to the significant savings that could be made if the European Parliament were to have a single seat; urges the budgetary authority to raise this issue in the negotiations on the next MFF 2014-2020;
Amendment 1 #
2011/0167(NLE)
Proposal for a decision
–
–
The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible, to propose that Parliament decline to give its consent.
Amendment 3 #
2010/2300(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Ccalls on the Commission to ensure, before the aid is granted, its complementarity with both the national programmes and the programmes designed by other donorsbudget support is granted, that the aims of the intervention are part of national programmes of the recipient country and that the principles of coordination, complementarity and coherence in relation to other donors are respected, as well as itsthe additionality to the resources allocated by the recipient country;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2300(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. with a view to ensuring relevance of EU budget support, calls on the Commission, to streamline its programming and design process by improving the preparation and documentation of the decisions to launch budget support operations and, given resource constraints in Delegations, which often limit their capacity to perform certain activities, calls on the Commission to provide sufficient qualified staff for the implementation, as budget support requires different analytical skills from project and programme financing;
Amendment 6 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas many donors consider general and sectoral budget support as a means of fostering partner countries’ ownership of development policies and reform processes, strengthening national accountability institutions and systems, and facilitating growth, poverty reduction and the achievement of development objectives,
Amendment 8 #
2010/2300(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. is concerned about the fact that the Court of Auditors (the Court) in its Annual Report on the activities funded by the eighth, ninth and tenth European Development Funds (EDFs) for the financial year 2009 found budget support payments to be affected by a high frequency of non-quantifiable errors due to lack of formalised and structured demonstration of the compliance with payment conditions; at the same time takes note of and welcomes a substantial improvement in the demonstration of eligibility noticed by the Court under 10th EDF owing to clearer assessment frameworks that are now routinely used;
Amendment 9 #
2010/2300(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. calls on the Commission to ensure that the specific conditions for performance-based variable tranches clearly specify the indicators, targets, calculation methods and verification sources and that Delegations’ reports provide a structured and formalised demonstration of public finance management progress by clearly setting the criteria against which progress is to be assessed, the progress made and the reasons why the reform programme may have not been implemented according to plan;
Amendment 11 #
2010/2300(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to take all necessary measures in order to combat corruption in the recipient countries, through maintaining a close and regular dialogue with partner governments on corruption issues and through paying sufficient attention to the capacity-building needs of particular recipient countries in terms of accountability and anti-corruption mechanisms, notes that among the 27 ACP countries that are not in a fragile situation and for which GBS has been planned in the country strategy papers for the 10th EDF, 12 of them, on the basis of the 2009 Corruption Perception Index, are classified as having ‘rampant corruption‘, from the six Latin American and Asian countries with GBS programmes, five of them have the same classification;
Amendment 12 #
2010/2300(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. in this respect, insists on the effective implementation of the requirement contained in Article 25 (b) of the Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation (DCI Regulation), which stipulates that "the Commission shall consistently use an approach based on results and performance indicators and shall clearly define and monitor its conditionality and support efforts of partner countries to develop parliamentary control and audit capacities and to increase transparency and public access to information," and urges the Commission to extend these provisions to budget support to beneficiary countries of the European Development Fund(the ACP countries), for which - so far - only the more technical criteria of Article 61 (2) of the Cotonou Agreement apply;
Amendment 16 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the European Union has hitherto referred more frequently to violations of human rights (‘first- generation rights’) in partnership agreements rather than to violations of socio- economic rights (‘second-generation rights’),
Amendment 21 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 22 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Is of the view that taxation, which reinforces citizens’ rights to hold their respective governments accountable, build a democratic society and guarantees an independent financial source for sustainable development, is an important bond between government and citizens of developing countries;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses the need to use sectoral budget support wherever appropriate in order to ensure better targeting of basic social sectors including health, education, and assistance for the most vulnerable groups, in particular persons with disabilities;
Amendment 25 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Draws attention to the EU’s innovative role in the field of budget support and stresses that the EU has a responsibility to develop a methodology and conditionality arrangements that also apply to other donorsthe added value which the Commission brings owing to its expertise in this area;
Amendment 29 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that the Union has a responsibility to pass on its experience to other institutional stakeholders, in particular at the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan;
Amendment 36 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the need to strengthen both the Commission’s monitoring mechanisms and parliamentary and civil-society scrutiny in countries in receipt of budget support; stresses also that optimum procedures must be established for auditing the public finances of recipient countries as a precondition for any disbursement of funds;
Amendment 40 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses therefore the importance of involving parliaments and civil society in the dialogue on anti-poverty policieInsists on the leading role that national parliaments of recipient countries and civil society organisations should play as they are best placed to identify priority sector, prepare Country Strategy Papers and monitor budget allocation, demands that national parliaments adopt Country Strategy Papers and multiannual reviews of budgetary supportbudget in consultation with civil society, prior to policy dialogue with donors on Budget Support, in order to empower parliamentary scrutiny;
Amendment 42 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the EU to respect and promote genuine ownership of developing countries over their development strategy and to refrain from crowding out national policy-makers through policy dialogue surrounding budget support, which undermines democratic accountability and contributes to depoliticise domestic political realities;
Amendment 45 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 47 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is concerned at the effects of macro- economic destabilisation and the impact on the most vulnerable sections of the population which a sudden break in budget support might cause; proposes that, on the basis of concerted action by donors and following consultation of the civil society and parliament of the partner country concerned, a mechanism be set up for the gradual reduction of budget support payments, which could attenuate such impacts, encourage political dialogue and enable concerted solutions to be found to the difficulties encountered;
Amendment 58 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Points out that, when granting budget support to banana-supplying ACP countries benefiting from accompanying measures in this sector, it is important to include in the variable tranche based on governance indicators the specific conditions contained in the new Article 17a ofthat Parliament is proposing be inserted in Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 (DCI Regulation), as set out in an amendment in the position of the European Parliament adopted at second reading on 3 February 2011 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) No .../2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation1; __________________ 1Texts adopted, P7_TA(2011)0030. 1 Texts adopted, P7_TC2- COD(2010)0059.
Amendment 59 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Considers that oil and mineral rich countries have the potential to finance their own development and fight against poverty through transparent tax collection systems and fair redistribution of wealth; calls therefore on the Commission to address this issue as a matter of priority in order to phase out budget support;
Amendment 60 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Takes the view that, in principle, MDG contracts are an example of high- quality, results-oriented budget support (long-term, predictable, targeted at social sectors, etc.); calls accordingly on the Commission to publish an assessment of MDG contracts in 2011 and to look into the feasibility of extending them to a larger number of countries;
Amendment 66 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Member States to show greater consistency at national and Community level as regards development aid policy; calls on the Member States to make use of the European External Action Service to strengthen their coordination with the Commission as regards budget support so as to avoid duplication and inconsistency;
Amendment 17 #
2010/2248(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Considers that with regard to lending for SMEs through financial intermediaries, the EIB should actively disclose information through its website, in particular the amount disbursed, the number of allocations made so far, the regions and the industry sector disbursed to; takes the view that information on the conditions that the financial intermediary should fulfil should also be supplied;
Amendment 21 #
2010/2248(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Takes the view that in its annual reports to the Parliament the Bank should report on the progress made in terms of transparency and increased accountability in particular when it comes to lending through financial intermediaries, and the application of its revised “EIB policy towards weakly regulated, non- transparent and uncooperative jurisdictions” from December 2010;
Amendment 21 #
2010/2247(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the agreements the European Union and its Member States have concluded with tobacco manufacturers to combat the illicit tobacco trade; is of the opinion that the 500 million euro to be paid by these two companies concerned, namely British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco should be used by the Commission for reinforcing anti fraud measures;
Amendment 1 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas in many areas in the world, ecological degradation is the root cause of human deprivation; and whereas a lack of consideration for the environmental foundation of development can considerably reduce or even jeopardize the effectiveness of aid, while addressing environmental issues can enhance its values,
Amendment 2 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B (new)
Recital B (new)
B. whereas the Leading Group on innovative finance estimates the funding gap to meet the MDGs by 2015, the Official Development Assistance (ODA) target of 0.7% of GNI, and Environmental crisis targets, to $324-336 bn per year between 2012 and 2017,
Amendment 3 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C (new)
Recital C (new)
C. whereas the growth of the global economy has not been matched with effective means to levy global economic activity to pay for global public goods,
Amendment 4 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital D (new)
Recital D (new)
D. whereas innovative financing are needed to meet MDGs and our commitment towards mitigation and adaptation to climate change,
Amendment 5 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital E (new)
Recital E (new)
E. whereas EU's funding for international cooperation with Africa comes from three geographic instruments: the EDF for African-ACP countries, the TDCA for South Africa and the ENPI for five North African states; whereas fragmentation of instruments is detrimental to consistency and policy coherence, as enshrined in Article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty,
Amendment 6 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital F (new)
Recital F (new)
F. whereas the Declaration on the European Development Fund, part of the Treaty of the EU, under the Final Act since the Maastricht Treaty, stipulating that the EDF should be outside the budget, has been removed in the Lisbon Treaty, thereby enabling the budgetisation of the FED,
Amendment 7 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the 2015 deadline for meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) falls within the next multiannual financial framework period and that there is a real risk that the EU will not meet its international commitment on development; recalls also that the MDGs are minimum aspirations and that, even if all targets are met, significant additional funding will still be required to fight poverty and improve health and education standards for the world's poor; therefore insists that a benchmark of 20% of the Commission’s allocated assistance under country programmes covered by the DCI will be dedicated to basic and secondary education and basic health;
Amendment 10 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls upon the need to develop global solidarity mechanism as a way to achieve the MDGs; but recalls also that the tax havens, trade mispricing and illicit capital flights represent a huge hindrance to development in poor countries; therefore, urges once more the EU to take initiatives with the ambit of the G20, the OECD and inside the EU to clamp down tax havens and harmful tax structure;
Amendment 11 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Highlights that new financing instruments are needed to fund the provision of global public goods; welcomes in this respect the report of the Taskforce on Financial Transactions for Development commissioned by the Leading Group on Innovative Financing for development according to which the financial sector is best suited to levy such innovative financing mechanism, considering that it is the primary beneficiary of the growth of the global economy; stresses also that the report concludes upon the technical, economical and legal feasibility of an international levy on currency transactions and on a tax on all financial transactions;
Amendment 12 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1 c. Calls on the Commission to propose the introduction of a Financial Transaction Tax at the European level, in view of its numerous advantages: it can help to stabilise the markets, to raise funds for domestic fiscal consolidation as well as to face poverty eradication and climate change;
Amendment 13 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1 d. Recalls that innovative financing for development is not designed to be a substitute for ODA, but is complementary; takes the view that the introduction of a FTT should therefore be linked with a more binding commitment of all member countries to achieve the 0.7% objective of ODA spending and to provide additional climate adaptation funding;
Amendment 14 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1 e. Points out that one of the reasons why the MDGs are not fulfilled is the failure to recognise the contributions of the environment, natural resources and ecosystems to human development and poverty elimination; deplores in this context that current European Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocates only 3% of the total spending to environmental issues; urges the Commission to ensure that environmental issues are mainstreamed throughout all external policies and financial instruments, especially in the face of the current challenge of climate change and biodiversity loss;
Amendment 15 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 f (new)
Paragraph 1 f (new)
1 f. Emphasises that the Multiannual Financial Framework should address: fulfilment of the MDGs, climate change, halting the decline of biodiversity and resource overconsumption; in particular, stresses that the next Multi-annual Financial Framework should support policy coherence, meaning for instance to ensure that some EU expenditures relating to agriculture, fisheries, trade and energy will not directly contradict development policy objectives;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Underlines that the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty offers the opportunity to put in place a more coherent institutional framework within the EU to relate to the Joint Africa-UE Strategy and to ensure the strategic funding it needs to prosper;
Amendment 24 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that channelling funds to Africa through three different instruments is inefficient and does not respond to Africa's wish to develop as a unified continent; recommends, therefore, to developing a single financing instrument for Africa, taking into account the Africa-EU joint strategic partnership so as to reflect the "treating-Africa-as-one" principle enshrined in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) and supporting the continental integration agenda; calls, in addition, for greater capacity-building assistance for the African Union institutions;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Notes with concern that EU Aid benefits proportionally more Middle Income Countries than low income countries; in particular, points out that EU aid programming that aims to enable developing countries to adapt to the requirement of international competition benefits especially Middle Income Countries, rather than Low Income Countries, which are less attractive to foreign investment;
Amendment 36 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. CRecalls that the Lisbon Treaty removed the formal obstacle to the integration of the EDF into the regular EU budget; therefore, calls once again for the budgetisation of the European Development Fund (EDF), so as to increase parliamentary scrutiny of development spending in ACP countries and make EU development policy more consistent and effective; insists, however, that incorporating the EDF into the EU budget must not lead to an overall reduction in development spending with respect to the two separate existing instruments and must guarantee predictability; stresses also on the need to secure the interests of ACP countries, i.e. through ring-fencing development funds for the ACP within the EU budget;
Amendment 39 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes with concern that EU Aid does not clearly focus on poverty eradication; recalls that the concept of "development", which refers to qualitative criteria that encompasses quality of life and the improvement of living conditions, should not be confused with the concept of economic growth, as measured by the rise of GDP; accordingly, urges the Commission to refrain from a simple "export-led" or "growth-oriented" development policy but to target its assistance on the most vulnerable, which entails the development of a pro-poor strategy, through the financing of long- term objectives, such as health, education, access to energy in rural areas, small farmers, etc.;
Amendment 1 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. Welcomes the fact that the Court of Auditors has managed to produce, every year, better and more special reports; regrets the fact that unfortunately they do not always get the political attention they deserve because of the rules applicable in Parliament;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. Points out that those special reports are of great importance when reflecting on and changing and/or adapting programmes and projects because they can result in a more efficient use of human and budgetary resources; appreciates the positive attitude of the Commission toward those processes and its willingness to take prompt actions to remedy most of the shortcomings noted by the Court of Auditors in those reports;
Amendment 3 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. Calls once more on its competent bodies to adapt the rules in such a way that the competent committee can decide whether - based on the importance of the findings of the Court of Auditors - there is a need to draw up an initiative report for plenary outside the quota set for own initiative reports;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the improved regulatory framework for simplified procedures for imports, introduced from the beginning of 2009 and expects the Commission to complete its guidelines for ex-post audits by Marchwithout any further delay and at the latest by the end of 2011;
Amendment 5 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Finds the lack of effective controls, which the report revealed, for simplified procedures in respect of imports in the Member States unacceptable, and calls on the Commission to further investigate the effectiveness of controls for simplified procedures in the Member States, and in particular to investigate progress in the conduct by the Member States of ex-post audits (frequency, methodology, use of risk analysis, organisation), and to present the results of such an investigation to Parliament by the end of 2011 in respect of at least half of the Member States and by the end of 2012 in respect of the remainder of the Member States;
Amendment 6 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the Commission to analyse the Dutch idea for pre-authorisation audits, which, although not generally followed in the Netherlands, were found by the Court of Auditors as fully corresponding to the Court's control model, and to recommend the use of that model in other Member States and to inform Parliament on progress made by September 2011;
Amendment 7 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Regrets the lack of a coherent Union's policy of sanctions to be imposed by Member States on traders who act in breach of the simplified procedures regulations introduced for them to facilitate economic operations; calls on the Commission to inform Parliament as to the steps taken to remedy this situation;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is convincedConsiders that investment can have a positive impact on growth and jobs, not only in the EU but also in developing countries; supports, therefore, an EU investment policy that promotes, and helps to foster the necessary conditions for, liberal, insofar that investors actively contribute to the development goals of the host states, i.e. by supporting its local economy thanks to technology transfer and by utilising local labour and inputs; in particular, stresses that investment agreement should not limit domestic policy options of the host state to make more stringent legislation of foreign direct investmentto achieve legitimate social or environmental goals;
Amendment 6 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1a (new)
Paragraph 1a (new)
1a. Highlights that national treatment, i.e. foreign investors are treated at least as favourably as domestic companies, can be detrimental for the host country's economic development; stresses that a fair agreement on investment entails allowing developing countries to discriminate investment based on its contribution to development objectives;
Amendment 7 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes also that, given healthy growth rates and significant potential in many developing nations, many of which enjoy long-standing privileged relationships with Europe, the proposed improvements toPoints out that there is no guarantee that multilateral rules on investments would enhance investment flows; takes the view that while investment treaties and investment protection initiatives tend to be univocally directed at investment liberalisation and protection, an EU investment policy cshould be extremely beneficial both to the EU and to developing economiesinstead comprehend social, economic and environmental developments targets, that need to be regularly assessed and reviewed;
Amendment 9 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. NotTakes that the investment risk is generally higher in developing countries, and that good governance is a prerequisite for strong, effective investor protectione view that an investment framework based on investors's rights without obligations does not contribute to development; Iis of the opinion that investment treaties can help improve governance and bring about the stable, secure environment to encourage investment into these countries; Considers increased investment in developing countries essential for development, as part of an approach moving towards partnership agreements that bring about the reduction of poverty in line with MDG commitmentsif they contain provisions on obligations of the home country to promote sustainable investments, transfer technology, fight corruption,... as well as obligations on the investors regarding compliance with human rights, labour rights and corporate social responsibility;
Amendment 12 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is disappointed therefore that the Commission communication focuses very little on developing countries as potential investment partners; notes also that the primary concern of the Commission is to design an EU investment policy that reflects the corporate's objective of achieving maximum protection for EU investors; recalls in this respect that the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU obliges the EU to practise policy coherence for development, i.e. to "take account of the objectives of development cooperation in the policies that it implements which are likely to affect developing countries";
Amendment 13 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4a (new)
Paragraph 4a (new)
4a. Points out that the willingness to achieve legal certainty and maximum protection for EU investors contrasts with the approach of the Commission on Corporate Social Responsibility, whereby obligations of corporations should not be legally binding but remain on a voluntary-base through code of conduct;
Amendment 14 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4b (new)
Paragraph 4b (new)
4b. Warns against developing a double standard policy regarding the rights and obligations of corporations; recalls that the CSR approach has failed to tackle human rights and environmental abuses of Transnational Corporations; takes the view that corporate must be obligated to respect international and domestic law and be held accountable where they are found in breach;
Amendment 15 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses the importance of ensuring investment treaties are consistent with all other policies affecting developing countries, notably featuring clauses on human rights, the environment, decent work, transparency and the fight against illicit capital flows; accordingly, takes the view that Bilateral Investment Treaties should not serve as blueprints for the EU's future investment treaty model; but deems that BIT should be reviewed to broaden the objectives (including sustainable development), make provisions more precise (especially regarding the definition of FDI and indirect expropriation), build in limitations (to enable control of capital movement), and add obligations for investors and home country governments;
Amendment 22 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that EU investment policy should, particularly regarding developing countries, work to encourage foreign investment in activities and sectors with a clear and significant impact on sustainable development, in which they might otherwise not engage because of the risks involved; calls on the Commission to implement a full impact analysis of the risks involved and investment's impact on sustainable development ;
Amendment 26 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Urges the EU to respect developing countries' ownership of their economic strategies and cooperate with them to reach investment agreements that are mutually beneficial even if this means the use of a different model of BIT;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Believes developing countries would benefit greatly from having the EU as a sole interlocutor regarding investment arrangements, rather than multiple agreements with individual member states., provided that the EU investment policy strikes a right balance between the objective of investor protection with the development goals of host states; Therefore sees as vital the establishment of an appropriate deadline by which time member state bilateral treaties must be replaced by EU level agreements.
Amendment 32 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10a (new)
Paragraph 10a (new)
Amendment 2 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Proposal for a decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Police College for the financial year 2009
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1.... Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Police College discharge in respect of the implementation of the College's budget for the financial year 2009;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the report of the European Police College of 12 July 2010 on the Reimbursement of Private Expenditure (10/0257/KA),
Amendment 5 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 b (new)
Citation 7 b (new)
- having regard to the Annual Activity Report 2009 of the Directorate-General Justice, Freedom and Security,
Amendment 6 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the College's budget for the year 2009 was of EUR 8 800 000, compared to EUR 8 700 000 for the year 2008,
Amendment 7 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Acknowledges, nevertheless, from the College that a Procurement Officer has finally been appointed and a Procurement Manual, including templates and checklists, was adopted on 8 June 2010 by Decision No 002/2010 of the Director;
Amendment 8 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Requests that the College provide the Parliament with a report on the application of the Procurement Manual for the period covering 1 July 2010 - 1 July 2011, before 31 October 2011;
Amendment 9 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Voices concern at the fact that the Court of Auditors identified severe shortcomings in the administrative and financial rules governing expenditure on the organisation of courses and seminars, which accounts for a major proportion of the College's operational expenditure; notesconsiders unacceptable that the main irregularities are due to the fact that the revised College'’s Financial Regulation has never entered into force and, as result, all engagement contracts signed were illegal; acknownotes from the Colledges that these contracts expired in 2010 and were not renewed;
Amendment 10 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes that the College's Financial Regulation which was submitted to the Commission for an opinion in 2009 contained two provisions which did not get a favourable opinion of the Commission because they were not considered to comply with the revised framework Financial Regulation;
Amendment 11 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recommends that the College, in the interest of fostering transparency, provide direct access to its detailed budget, which should include a list of its contracts and procurement decisions, and be published on the College's website; believes that the recommendation does not contravene the principle of personal data protection;
Amendment 12 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that already for the budget year 2008 31 % of the College's total budget had to be carried over and, in 2007, 41.5% of the College's total budget had to be carried over while more than 20% (EUR 0,5 million ) of the College's appropriations carried over from the preceding year were cancelled;
Amendment 13 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Is concerned that since 2007 the percentage of the College's total budget that had to be carried over and the percentage of the appropriations carried over that eventually had to be cancelled are increasingly getting worse; questions therefore the legitimacy to increase the amount of Union participation in the College's budget;
Amendment 14 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 15 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. NotesIs concerned that the College, in its Financial Statements for 2009, quantified the total impact on accumulated reserves of its errors prior to 1 January 2008 as of EUR 929 670,27 (10,56 % of its total budget for 2009) and the total impact on accumulated reserves of its errors from 2008 as of EUR 284 718,77 (3,2% of its total budget for 2009);
Amendment 16 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
Paragraph 9 – introductory part
9. Voices concern that the Court of Auditors reported several weaknesses with regard to staff selection procedures that put at risk the transparency of these procedures; stresses in particular that the documentation of the procedures was inadequate; finds unacceptable that:
Amendment 17 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Deplores the fact that a recruitment contract which was executed in the wrong manner is still operative; calls on the College to remedy this irregularity as a matter of priority;
Amendment 20 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 21 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. WelcomNotes the fact that, following the repeated request from the Internal Audit Service (IAS), the Court of Auditors and the discharge authority, an ex-post check on appropriations used to finance private expenditure was finally carried out by thean external company ‘Moore Stephens’;
Amendment 22 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Notes that the figures provided, where available, by report 10/0257/KA on the reimbursement of private expenditure are far below the aforementioned figures disclosed by the external audit report;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Acknowledges alsoDeplores the fact that due to the passage of time and weaknesses in the financial management, monitoring and reporting at the College at the time leading up to the 2007 audit, the external auditor was not able to give an absoluteconfirm this quantification of the appropriations irregularly used; notes, therefore, that the external auditor considered it more important to place the emphasis of the audit on the recoveries made and the potential for further recoveries;
Amendment 24 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Notes that the responsibilities regarding the appropriations used to finance private expenditure have been well-established; deplores consequently the fact that the College's Governing Board did not respond properly to the former Director's managerial failings, out of concern not to harm the Agency's image; considers it unacceptable that the Governing Board decided not to take disciplinary action mainly because of the possibility of legal action by the former Director;
Amendment 25 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Reiterates, therefore, its position that the Governing Board of the College must be held responsible and suggests that changes be made to prevent this situation from recurring in future; calls again for a reconsideration of the position of the Commission to grant it the right to vote and to constitute a blocking minority on decisions concerning the budgetary, financial and administrative management of the Agency within the Governing Boards of the College and of the other Community agencies;
Amendment 26 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. WelcomNotes the College'’s initiative of providing to the discharge authority the final assessment Report of the IAS on the implementation of the Multi-Annual Plan (MAP) 2010-2014 of the College; considers this a sign of transparency and a best practice to be followed by all other Agencies;
Amendment 27 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes that the MAP was approved by, upon the request of the discharge authority, the College'’s Governing Board fin May 2010 upon the request of the discharge authority; welcomally approved the MAP in May 2010; notes also the fact that by the end of September 2010, 19 of the 44 milestones had been completed whereas 18 milestones were on course with regard to the planned timetable and 7 milestones still await the initial start of implementation;
Amendment 28 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. AcknowledgesIs concerned that in its Final Assessment Report on the implementation of the College'’s MAP for 2010-2014, the IAS found a lack of clarity in the description of some items in the MAP and overlap between some of its milestones; stresses, therefore, that the progress reporting is not always accurate enough to allow a clear understanding of what the individual milestones imply in terms of concrete actions and it makes it difficult to assess the ultimate overall status of the related actions;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Notes the reply of the College that, if after an internal investigation it could be concluded that personal accountability can be established, it would definitely take the necessary measures in accordance with the applicable regulations;
Amendment 31 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Recalls that the progression of the College in implementing the MAP is primarily linked to its capacity in recruiting and retaining qualified staff experienced in financial and accounting matters;
Amendment 33 #
Amendment 34 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Notes the opinion developed by DG Justice, Freedom and Security in its 2009 Annual Activity Report on the College's structural problems; calls again into question the capability of the College to overcome the following problems: - the College cannot apply the complex EU financial and staff regulation given its limited mission and corresponding small size; - the location of the College's secretariat, in Bramshill, some 70 Kilometres from London, which is a disadvantage, inter alia, as regards recruitment and public transport links; - the College's governance costs which are very high as compared to its activities, given that while employing only 28 staff, the College had a 27-member Governing Board during 2009;
Amendment 35 #
2010/2181(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24 c. a. Notes that the College and Europol are two Community bodies evolving in similar intervention fields and are performing complementary activities; believes that if these activities were brought together under a common agency unnecessary additional costs would be avoided; recalls that the Union budget shall be based on a sound financial management requiring the spending to be relevant, effective, and efficient and unnecessary expenditures to be properly addressed; b. Recommends, therefore, merging the College within Europol in the near future; is convinced that the merger will engender greater rationality and efficiency in expenditure; is convinced that the cost of keeping the College and Europol separate would be higher than the cost of a merger; welcomes, therefore, the Commission's proposal that Europol could take over the training role of the College; regrets that the Member States rejected this proposal and calls for a reevaluation; c. Is confident that merging the College within Europol will be beneficial in terms of the activities performed currently by the two agencies; believes that a merger will not only provide concrete solutions to the aforementioned College's structural and chronic problems but will also enable the College to benefit directly from Europol's expertise regarding international organised crime and terrorism in order to fulfil its mission of providing training for senior police officers; believes that through the merger Europol will benefit from the network as well as the training expertise of the College, and will take advantage of having a unit focusing solely on training- related issues on its premises ; d. Calls on the Council and the Commission to provide the European Parliament with a report on the merging of the College within Europol by the end of 2011;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2178(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Reiterates its demand on the Authority to take appropriate measures in case of conflicts of interest; invites the Authority to initiate an investigation on potential conflicts of interest of its leading scientists, board and panel members, so that possible omissions in the declaration of interest can be detected and followed by action in a timely manner;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Proposal for a decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Medicines Agency for the financial year 2009
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. .....Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’'s budget for the financial year 2009;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the Internal Audit Service's Annual Internal Audit Report on the European Medicines Agency for 2009;
Amendment 7 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Is seriously concerned with the Agency'’s replies to significant issues raised by the Court of Auditors and the Internal Audit Service, such as:
Amendment 8 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point ii
Paragraph 1 – point ii
ii. the lack of respect to, and frequent lack of, implementing procedures regarding the identification and management of conflicts of interest for its staff and experts,
Amendment 9 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes, however, that the Agency should continue to inform on a three-monthly basis the discharge authority on the results of the actions requested by the discharge authority;
Amendment 9 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point ii
Paragraph 2 – point ii
ii. potential risks to the independence of experts/staff involved in the evaluation of medicinal products, which could have not only detrimental consequences to the Agency's reputation should the evaluation of products be formally questioned, but also might have negative effects on public health;
Amendment 10 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point iii
Paragraph 2 – point iii
iii. potential deficiencies in staff/experts' recruitment which could not only lead to disqualification of competent candidates and/or recruitment of less qualified candidates but also might have adverse effects on the quality of the Agency’s scientific assessment work and, consequently, on public health;
Amendment 11 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
takes note therefore, that the Agency again failed to comply with various requirements of the relevant procurement regulations;
Amendment 12 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Agency to set up a multi- annual procurement plan which shall ensure stronger technical and procedural controls and to report to the discharge authority on this matter by 30 June 2011;
Amendment 13 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the Agency to ensure that the results of procurement procedures are verified before contracts are awarded; expects that detailed technical specifications shall always be prepared, in view of the Court of Auditors’ findings;
Amendment 15 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Agency for better coordination between its financial and scientific services in order to remedy the unacceptable, long delay for recovery orders; notes, in fact, that the Court of Auditors reported that two recovery orders (EUR 226 200 and EUR 110 200), out of ten tested, had a very long delay (21 and 5 months respectively), in breach of the Agency's internal rules;
Amendment 16 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Expects the Agency to prudently manage its longstanding policy of entering into a forward foreign exchange contract in order to hedge part of its administrative budget against unfavourable fluctuations in the sterling exchange rate; points out that even though this is a recurrent observation made by the Court of Auditors no concrete action has been taken to date by the Agency; accordingly, calls on the Agency to consider reassessing its treasury policy in the light of the losses and risks incurredexpects the Agency to manage such transactions to avoid exchange losses, such as those in 2009 of EUR 900 000; points out that this is a recurrent observation made by the Court of Auditors;
Amendment 17 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Expects the Agency to prudently manage its longstanding policy of entering into a forward foreign exchange contract in order to hedge part of its administrative budget against unfavourable fluctuations in the sterling exchange rate; points out that even though this is a recurrent observation made by the Court of Auditors no concrete action has been taken to date by the Agency; accordingly, calls on the Agency to consider reassessing its treasury policy in the light of the losses and risks incurred; requests the Agency to communicate its revised treasury policy to Parliament's competent committee without delay;
Amendment 18 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Takes note of the Agency's intention to apply the IAS' recommendation from its 2010 follow-up audit by adopting a risk- based approach and focusing checks on staff who declare interests; calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority on the timing and plan to apply this IAS' recommendation before the end of 2011;
Amendment 18 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Notes from the Agency that the treasury policy has been revised, adopted and formally approved by the Agency’s Audit Advisory Committee; calls on the Agency to provide Parliament with an overview of the implementation of the revised treasury policy before 30 June 2011;
Amendment 19 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Acknowledges, nevertheless, the Agency's reply in which it is stated that there is no onus on it to request or monitor the annual declaration of financial interests of experts responsible for evaluating medicinal products, as this lies with the Member States' competent authorities (Article 126b of Directive 2001/83/EC19 as amended by EC Directive 2004/27/EC20 ); calls therefore on the Commission to remind the respective authorities in the Member States of their obligations in this matter;
Amendment 19 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading after paragraph 11
Subheading after paragraph 11
Amendment 20 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that it is not only the Agency's reputation that could be affected in cases where evaluations can be challenged on the grounds of possible conflicts of interest but also that such conflicts of interest do not guarantee the optimal protection of European citizens' health;
Amendment 20 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls onUrges the Agency to apply the relevant rules effectively , and to assess the independence of experts before those experts participate in any evaluation of human medicines;
Amendment 21 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls onFinds it unacceptable that the Agency does noto apply the relevant rules effectively, and to assess the independence of experts before those experts participate in any evaluation of human medicinesresulting in the fact that there is absolutely no guarantee that the evaluation of human medicines is performed by independent experts; points out that twelve "very important" and one "critical" recommendation from several earlier IAS' Annual Audit Reports on the Agency, most of them concerning the independence of experts, were still not implemented in 2009, while the oldest recommendation dates back to 2005;
Amendment 22 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Takes note of the transfer of the Agency’s Director to a consultancy that advises, among others, pharmaceutical companies on developing new medication and reducing the period to their market introduction; stresses that the transfer casts some doubt on the actual independence of the Agency; notes that Article 16 of the Staff Regulations grants wide discretionary power on the Management Board to allow or forbid this type of transfer; asks, therefore, that the Agency provide the discharge authority, by 30 June 2011, with a report that lists all comparable cases that have occurred since the creation of the Agency and explains thoroughly the Management Board's decision in each case;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Insists, but also warns the Agency, that all the actions mentioned in the respective audit reports, including the one for the year 2010, should be fully implemented before the start of the next discharge procedure;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. UrgesConsiders it unacceptable that the Agency is noto complying effectively with its Code of Conduct by setting out principles and guidance on independence and confidentiality applicable to the Management Board and committees'’ members, experts and Agency'’s staff; calls on, also,expects the Agency to assess thoroughly, before the allocation of Project Team Leaders to products, whether the interests declared by staff members might influence their impartiality and independence; urges, in addition, the Agency to document and assess its controls and file the relevant allocation decisions;
Amendment 24 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Agency to comply effectively with its Code of Conduct by setting out principles and guidance on independence and confidentiality applicable to the Management Board and committees' members, experts and Agency's staff; calls on, also, the Agency to assess, before the allocation of Project Team Leaders to products, whether the interests declared by staff members might influence their impartiality and independence; urges, in addition, the Agency to document and assess its controls and file the relevant allocation decisions which must be made available on its website;
Amendment 25 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that the Agency's reputation could be affected in cases where evaluations can be challenged on the grounds of possible conflict of interests; notes that the Agency is alleged to bear some responsibility for the benfluorex health scandal in France, through the systems it has in place for the provision of scientific advice in respect of human medicines, and that concerns are being raised in some quarters about a possible conflict of interests;
Amendment 26 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Urges the Agency to inform the discharge authority of the steps it has taken to ensure the independence of its experts since its inception;
Amendment 27 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Wonders why the Court of Auditors’ reports since 2006 on the Agency’s annual accounts make no mention of any deficiencies with regard to the assessment of experts’ independence;
Amendment 28 #
Amendment 29 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Is of the opinion that the Agency's main task is to improve and to contribute to the best possible healthcare as far it concerns the marketing and use of pharmaceutical products in the Union, that it is the Agency's duty to take all measures and precautions to prevent the marketing of potentially dangerous products in the Union, but considers, based on information from different sources including a report from the Inspection générale des affaires sociales (IGAS) in France, that the Agency in the case of the antiobesity product Mediator did not act according to its core business, namely to protect citizens against harmful and dangerous medical products;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Points out that any final decision on whether or not to grant discharge cannot be taken before Parliament has been fully informed on the circumstances which led to the very late withdrawal from the market of Mediator (benfluorex), a so- called slimming pill; expects a full and extensive report from the Agency explaining why it took 10 years after the first warning of the possible dangerous side effects of this drug were communicated to the Agency, before this final decision was taken to withdraw the drug in 2009;
Amendment 31 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 e (new)
Paragraph 14 e (new)
14e. Asks to be informed if and how the experts and staff dealing with the "Mediator case" were screened on their independence and how their interests declared were verified;
Amendment 32 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls ononsiders it unacceptable for the Agency to ensure thatallow the information included in the product files to support the procedure underpinning the authorisation of its files on human medicines is to be incomplete; urges, in this respect, the Agency to guarantee that key information is easily retrieved and all relevant guidelines on the filing system are in place;
Amendment 33 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls, moreover, on the AgencyAsks the Agency, moreover, to complete and regularly update the European Experts Database as required by the Agency's regulation, and to keep the discharge authority informed; urges also the Agency to allow SIAMED and Product Overview databases for efficient retrieval of information;
Amendment 34 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the Agency to strengthen its recruitment process and ensure its documentation is correctly managed; acknowledges, in fact, that the IAS found deficiencies in this respect; stresses, also, that insufficient documentation in recruitment procedures reduces the possibility for the Agency to respond to allegations of unequal treatment of candidates and/or arbitrary decisions on recruitment of staff; considers, furthermore, that to the extent that competition is limited, resulting recruitment may not represent the optimal choice and human and that financial resources may be used inefficiently; asks the Agency to provide the discharge authority with the terms of this agreement since its inception, along with a detailed record of how it has evolved over time;
Amendment 35 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Considers it unacceptable that the Executive Director’s statement of assurance, dated 13 May 2010, does not mention any reservations, and is consequently not consistent with the undertaking given in the Code of Conduct adopted by the Agency in the light of the statements of assurance from the IAS and the Court of Auditors;
Amendment 36 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Points out that the Director’s report is required to contain a summary of the reports from the Internal Audit Service (IAS) to the discharge authority, including: i) the number and types of internal audits conducted by the IAS, ii) all the recommendations made (including any that may have been rejected by the Agency), and (iii) all the measures taken on the basis of those recommendations; wonders whether these requirements were fulfilled in previous years, and asks the Agency to forward the IAS’s reports since 2007 to the discharge authority by 30 June 2011;
Amendment 37 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. WelcomNotes the Agency'’s initiative of providing the discharge authority with the IAS' Annual Internal Audit Report on the Agency; considers this a sign of transparency and a best practice to be followed by all other Agencies; at this should be the normal practice of transparency and expects that all other Agencies will follow this practice;
Amendment 38 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Acknowledges that, out of 32 recommendations of the IAS, one is ‘"critical’" on the implementing procedures involving experts and 13twelve are ‘"very important’" mainly on human resources management, on management of staff's conflicts of interest and on other procedures supporting the provision of scientific evaluation for human medicines in the Agency; calls, accordingly, ontherefore, on the Agency to inform the discharge authority about the precise content of these recommendations without delay; urges the Agency to rapidly implement the IAS recommendations and informto provide the discharge authority of withe action taken; call complete overview of measures taken and implemented to properly address these recommendations by 30 June 2011; asks, in addition, on the Court of Auditors to monitor and inform the discharge authority of the efficiency of the measures taken;
Amendment 39 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Acknowledges that, out of 32 recommendations of the IAS, one is "critical" on the implementing procedures involving experts and 13 are "very important" mainly on human resources management, on management of staff's conflicts of interest and on other procedures supporting the provision of scientific evaluation for human medicines in the Agency; calls, accordingly, onurges the Agency to rapidly implement the IAS recommendations and inform the discharge authority of the action taken; calls, in addition, on the Court of Auditors to monitor and inform the discharge authority of the efficiency of the measures taken;
Amendment 40 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading after paragraph 21
Subheading after paragraph 21
Actions to be taken by the Agency by 30 June 2011
Amendment 42 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls onUrges the Agency's Director, in cooperation with the IAS, to undertake a thorough verification of the effective use of the existing procedures regarding the identification and management of conflicts of interests for its staff and experts and to communicate the results to the discharge authority by 30 June 2011;
Amendment 43 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls onUrges the Agency's Director, in cooperation with the IAS, to undertake a thorough verification of the effective use of the existing procedures regarding the identification and management of conflicts of interests for its staff and experts and to communicate the results to the discharge authority by 30 June 2011;
Amendment 44 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Expects the Governing Board swiftly to adopt an action plan to remedy the shortcomings in the procurement procedures; asks, in particular, the Agency's Director, in cooperation with the IAS and the parent directorate-general (DG), to draft this action plan which shall include specific measures and a timetable for implementation; expects the Agency to communicate these specific measures to the discharge authority by 30 June 2011;
Amendment 45 #
2010/2173(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls on the Agency, therefore, to inform the discharge authority by 30 June 2011 of the measures taken and the improvements made in respect of all these areas of concern;
Amendment 6 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls the Commission's commitment37 to ensuring that a benchmark of 20% of its allocated assistance under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) is dedicated to basic and secondary education and basic health; calls for reporting against the same benchmark to be provided for the EDFs; calls on the Commission to prioritise support to strengthen health systems by focusing especially on targeting the poorest people; calls on the Commission to prioritise support for improving the quality of learning and to help establish a policy framework which favours the poor and is gender responsive and to take full account of the recommendations by the Court of Auditors as formulated in its abovementioned Special Reports No 10/2008 and 12/2010;
Amendment 10 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines once more, that the Tenth EDF should focus on a limited number of areas, while involving non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are effective at local level and who are of crucial importance for sustainable development, in order to avoid the harmful effects arising from the proliferation of objectives; calls on the Commission to make wise use of local- and European-based NGO's, in particular when management of projects and programmes by NGOs and international organizations (Multi-Donor Trust Funds) is more efficient and cost- effective than management by the Commission;
Amendment 12 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Welcomes the Special Report No 18/2009 of the Court of Auditors on the Effectiveness of EDF support for Regional Economic Integration in East Africa and West Africa and the thorough analysis carried out by the Court of Auditors, and deplores the unsatisfactory situation revealed therein; stresses nevertheless its concern at the lack of complementarity between the Commission's regional and national cooperation strategies and emphasises that bringing regional and national strategies in line with one another is essential to increase the effectiveness of the aid provided;
Amendment 13 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Is deeply concerned about the insufficient absorption capacity of regional organisations; urges the Commission, during the mid-term review of the regional strategies foreseen for the first half of 2011, to take account of the regional cooperation situation and to pay special attention to the possibility of revising the amounts allocated;
Amendment 14 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17c. Finds it nevertheless unacceptable that the Court of Auditors, through a lack of proper reporting, was "unable to assess" a number of projects financed;
Amendment 15 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)
Paragraph 17 d (new)
17d. Takes the view that the Union should be represented in each Regional Organisation by a specifically assigned Head of Delegation and that Union delegations should be mandated to discuss the aligning of membership in different regional groupings;
Amendment 16 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines that, in its Special Report No 18/2009, the Court of Auditors assessed EDF support for regional economic integration in East Africa and West Africa, to which a considerable proportion – over 50% – of EDF funding was allocated, as only partially effective; asks the Commission to inform Parliament about the measures being taken following the requests formulated by the Parliament in its resolution of 5 May 2010 accompanying its Decision on discharge to the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th EDFs, before the start of the discharge procedure 2010; would also welcome a complete overview showing which of these measures have been implemented effectively in the regions concerned;
Amendment 17 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Draws the Commission's attention to the fact that, in view of the rules applicable under the 10th EDF,oes not agree with the use of accrued interest on EDF treasury accounts (including transfers from the period 2001- 2007), which is estimated at EUR 34 000 000, should in no way be used to cover staff expenditure and can only be earmarked for support expenditurebut considers that it should only be used for expenditure for projects and programmes; asks the Commission to explain what happenedwas the policy in the past and, if necessary, to make proposals to amend the regulation in force in line with this principle without delay;
Amendment 3 #
2010/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Reminds the CoR of its request that CoR members declare their financial interests, disclosing relevant information on declarable professional activities and remunerated posts or activities; notes the CoR response on the matter, and requests it to report on the outcome of the examination of the issue by the CoR's Commission for Administrative and Financial Affairs and the CoR's Bureau; suggests to the CoR to take note of the new draft Code of conduct for Commissioners, where appropriate;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes the response of the EESC to the observation of the Parliament that the members of the EESC do not declare their financial interests or disclose relevant information on declarable professional activities and remunerated posts or activities; believes that the information made available in this area still does not meet the expectations of the Parliament; requests that the EESC take steps to provide the relevant information; calls in this context on the EESC to take note of the new draft Code of conduct for Commissioners, which could provide guidance, where appropriate, on rules to be established by the EESC in this respect;
Amendment 3 #
2010/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes the considerably increased number of the reports produced by the Court of Auditors, in particular, the increase of the number of special reports (from 12 to 18) and specific annual reports (from 29 to 37), although the number of opinions has decreased; invites the Court of Auditors to start discussions with Parliament's competent committee to decide the most effective ways to coordinate efforts to make optimal use of the Court of Auditors' findings in order to adapt Union policies and accounting practices;
Amendment 7 #
2010/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls, in relation to declarations of members' financial interests, that, in compliance with the Court of Auditors' Code of Conduct, Court members communicate a declaration of their financial interests to the President of the Court, who keeps those declarations under confidential custody, and that those declarations are not published; reconfirms its position that in the interests of transparency, declarations of financial interests of members of all EU institutions should be accessible on the Internet via a public register, and calls upon the Court of Auditors to take the necessary steps in this regard and to adapt and base its rules on 'financial interest' on the new draft Code of conduct for Commissioners, where applicable;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that, in its resolution of 5 May 2010, on discharge to Parliament for the financial year 2008, Parliament deplores the great number (88 out of 452) and significant proportion of outstanding actions in respect of the audit carried out by the Internal Auditor on the internal control framework; notes with satisfaction the replies by the Secretary-General to the discharge questionnaire according to which, in the opinion of the Directors General, considerable progress took place in the implementation of the action items adopted by them: by the end of 2010 they considered 51 actions to have been fully implemented (including all of the 4 critical actions), 31 actions to have been partially implemented, whilst for 6 actions most of the work still needed to be done; requests however that the assessment and validation by its Internal Auditor of these self- assessments be included in its forthcoming annual report; also requests the Secretary- General to report on a three-monthly basis to the Committee on Budgetary Control by 30 September 2011 on all outstanding actions;
Amendment 5 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that DG ITEC was the most concerned, with 22 open actions; notes with satisfaction that, according to the Internal Auditor, the Directorate for Information Technology within DG ITEC, has implemented 19 of the 22 open actions and, in the process, has made significant progress in developing its control framework; encourages all its Directorates general concerned to continue their efforts to improve their respective management and control procedures, calls on the Internal Auditor to set stricter timetables on actions to be implemented;
Amendment 13 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes the significant increase in the workload registered by the administration, relating to the entry into force of the new Statutes; notes with concern the more complicated procedure as regards accredited assistants' missions outside the three places of work and considers that, in spite of considerable increase in staffing, there are insufficient staff members in the Members' service and the services dealing with assistants and requests, therefore, the redeployment by the administration of additional staff in order to cope with the increased workload; requests, moreover, that an evaluation/assessment be made and forwarded to its competent committees by 30 September 2011 on the experience gained of the implementation of the two Statutes following the first full year of their implementation, as well as on their financial implications for Parliament's budget, including the provisions to be made for possible extra office space;
Amendment 17 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. WelcomNotes the recent adoption by the Bureau on 24 March 2010 of the long- awaited medium-term strategy in the IT and the buildings sectors expects that the buildings strategy will be subject to an improved interinstitutional cooperation and that the organisations of local inhabitants will be consulted on a regular basis;
Amendment 19 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Applauds especially the medium- and long-term property policy (buildings strategy) approved by the Bureau on 24 March 2010, which takes into account Parliament's increased responsibilities under the Treaty of Lisbon, the rules governing allocation of space, the need for accommodation of certain external staff and the need for maintenance/renovation of buildings; is of the opinion that an evaluation and rationalisation of the actual office space should be conducted before decisions are taken on the purchase of new buildings; calls further on the Secretary General to conduct negotiations with the Belgium authorities aimed at reducing the extra percentage (33%) to be paid if Parliament purchases "State" owned property;
Amendment 25 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Finds it astonishing that around 900 people work in Parliament's security services, most of them as external contract staff and also points to the steady increase in total security costs (some EUR 43 000 000 in 2009); requests, in the light of recent security incidents, the overhaul of these services in order to increase their efficiency; strongly suggests that the two major contracts for security services, both physical and technical, will not be concluded with the same firm as is now the case;
Amendment 28 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes in this respect the establishment, from 1 January 2010, of a new Directorate in charge of Security and requests the newly established Directorate to conduct an in-depth review of Parliament's security policy and to work on proposals to adopt security solutions for Parliament which are more technology- oriented and cheaper , resulting in considerable savings in terms of staff and budgetwould like to be informed on progress made;
Amendment 33 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 – point i
Paragraph 12 – point i
Amendment 36 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 – point iv
Paragraph 12 – point iv
iv) an internalised accreditation system for visitors, by employing as far as possible the current staff and giving them appropriate training in order to provide an improved and more consistent service;
Amendment 43 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Deplores the lack of security in Parliament's vicinity and is of the opinion that improved cooperation with local police forces (including establishing joint security/police units) would result in a more efficient use of resources; encourages the institutions' to reach an agreement with the Belgian authorities on improving security within the EU district in Brussels by inter alia intensifying police patrols;
Amendment 55 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes the two priority projects necessitating important new office surfaces to be found: a second crèche in Brussels and a possible second assistant's office if no other solutions such as the removal of the sanitation units can be found; stresses in this context the need for Parliament's buildings to be located close to each other in order to achieve more efficiency and also for environmental reasons;
Amendment 67 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
Amendment 73 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Notes with satisfaction that for the first time in 2009 no mopping-up transfer took place at the end of the financial year, after a number of years when the possibility of mopping-up was used(mostly to purchase buildings by making advance payments against the annual lease payments) , which suggests a better budget planning and discipline which is to be praised; encourages its administration to pursue this objective in the future as well and to avoid, as far as possible, using the technique of mopping up;
Amendment 75 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Notes that, currently, each Director- General (Authorising Officers by delegation) prepares his/her own Annual Activity Report, and that no overall Activity Report for the Institution as a whole is drafted and adopted; invites the Secretary-General to consider issuing a more readable, consolidated version (a summary) of the Annual Activity Reports for the 2010 discharge procedure, as is already the case with other institutions; takes the view that the report on budgetary and financial management is distinct from the suggested synthesis of annual activity reports;
Amendment 79 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 – introductory part
Paragraph 41 – introductory part
41. Notes in particular the steady increase in 2009 (although at a slower pace than in 2008 as compared to 2007) in the number of exceptional negotiated procedures as shown in the following breakdown; expects that this trend will be substantially reversed in the coming years;
Amendment 83 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Notes that Article 12(9) of the Parliament's Internal Rules for the implementation of the budget, adopted on 27 April 2005, provide that the Internal Auditor's area of competence does not include the appropriations from Parliament's budget managed by political groups; further notes that the specific rules on the use of those appropriations require each political group to establish its own internal financial rules and to implement an internal control system but no mention is made of the internal audit function;
Amendment 84 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Observes that only the rules of one out of seven political groups provide for the appointment of an internal auditor; agrees with the Court of Auditors that the functional independence of groups does not justify the non-application of regulatory provisions on the inStresses that all political groups have to have a yearly external audit and have to present an external audit functioncertificate;
Amendment 85 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Stresses that it is the responsibility of the political groups to put in place their internal auditcontrol system and that this should not be the responsibility of Parliament's Internal Auditor and calls on the Bureau to integrate, as a matter of priority, this obligation in the rules following after consulting the political groupsconsult the political groups on how further audit provisions can be developed;
Amendment 88 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Recalls its request, in its resolution of 5 May 2010, that the Secretary-General contact the other EU institutions in order to establish a central database for the studies that they are conducting which iand to make these studies also available for consultation by the wider public; encourages its Secretary- General to follow up on this request, in particular by proposing to the Commission that that institution establish such a central database; requests to be duly informed of this initiative, expects, in the meantime, that the studies conducted by Parliament are published in full on Parliament's website;
Amendment 91 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55 a (new)
Paragraph 55 a (new)
55a. Is of the opinion that the internal audit reports should be made available, under specific conditions, to the Members of the Committee on Budgetary Control; urges the Chair of that committee to agree with the Secretary-General on those conditions;
Amendment 93 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Stresses the fundamental importance of specific knowledge management, in particular in the work of the committees, and the need for permanent and up-to-date knowledge in their fields of operation; recalls the high number of newly elected Members in recent parliamentary terms; asks the Bureau to reflect on the possibility of providing further specific information and training for Members including specific measures for the new "Lisbon" Members and the future "observer" Members from Croatia;
Amendment 94 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62
Paragraph 62
62. Welcomes the establishment of a support system for the security of delegations outside the three places of work of which the main objective is to furnish Parliament's hierarchy with all the relevant information needed to provide assistance to delegation members in case of an emergency situation; points out the importance of the 24/7 Hotline, the post of Security Unit Duty Officer and appropriate security training and security briefings, as well as the creation of a future crisis cell; would like be informed on the total costs of this operation;
Amendment 96 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 63
Paragraph 63
63. Notes that the human resources available to DG Communication consisted of 722 posts as at 31 December 2009 and the final appropriations managed amounted to EUR 80 935 000; asks to review the number of posts and give a detailed explanation of the underlying need for these posts; recognises that it is a fact that one of the main tasks of DG Communication is to provide political neutral information to the wider public but wonders if it would be more effective in communication terms to shift resources and staff to more political oriented information;
Amendment 106 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65 a (new)
Paragraph 65 a (new)
65a. Would like to be informed about the total cost of the House of European History and requests the Secretary General to provide information on which measures will be taken to cope with the expected large increase of visitors for both projects in terms of parking space (busses, cars) and easy access to the Dalle;
Amendment 127 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74
Paragraph 74
74. Deplores the fact that the employment of family members as assistants is still permitted under the derogations to the Members' Statute adopted by the Bureau at its meeting of 23 November 2009, requests the Secretary General to consider whether there should be specific rules preventing Members employing each others family members as assistants;
Amendment 130 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Stresses the need to further rationalise the missions between the three working places, justifying and monitoring them better in order to avoid unnecessary missions and costs, asks the Secretary General to report, as part of the discharge procedure, on the total amount of savings that were made as a result of further rationalisation;
Amendment 133 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78
Paragraph 78
78. Is of the opinion that facilities within Parliament's buildingservices which are not required in connection with the Institution's activities but which are provided within Parliament's buildings by profit-orientated companies must be economically self- supporting and should not be financed directly or indirectly with subsidies from Parliament's budget; , any exceptions for imputed costs must be shown separately; in the budget and be duly motivated;
Amendment 142 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86
Paragraph 86
86. Notes that Parliament has a contract with only one travel agency and sees a certain risk that such a monopolistic situation might prevent Members and Parliament obtaining the best available prices; requires that in future contracts incentives be included to guarantee the lowest price for tickets;
Amendment 144 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86 a (new)
Paragraph 86 a (new)
86a. Calls on the Secretary General to commission a study on reducing travel cost for Members and staff exploring, for example, the possibility of annual block bookings with airline companies instead of individual bookings and purchase of tickets or using tendering procedures for annual flight contracts; furthermore, calls for a system to be developed to use the collected airmiles on flights reimbursed by Parliament to further reduce costs;
Amendment 146 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 95
Paragraph 95
95. Stresses, moreover, the need for the parties and foundations to have a system of standard external auditing instead of the current free choice in the appointment of external auditors, as well as the need for the Parliament's administration to strictly apply accounting rules in particular on contributions in kind, carry-overs and reserves; welcomes, therefore, the recent decision by the Bureau that an external auditor for the parties and the foundation will be provided and paid for by Parliament;
Amendment 152 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 101 a (new)
Paragraph 101 a (new)
101a. Asks the administration to speed up actions to radically reduce the consumption of paper in the House; takes the view that the full use of electronic devices is key to avoiding the more than 1000 tons of paper waste every year; further takes the view that Members should be given the opportunity to indicate that they do not need printed documents;
Amendment 153 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 101 b (new)
Paragraph 101 b (new)
101b. Considers that the staff of the EMAS section should be urgently increased and that they must enjoy full independence in the performance of their duties;
Amendment 154 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 101 c (new)
Paragraph 101 c (new)
101c. Considers that transport emissions contribute the largest share of Parliament's carbon footprint, which, according to its CO2 action plan, it intends to reduce by 30% by 2020; urges therefore that adequate measures be taken to reduce the carbon footprint; welcomes a study on offsetting in this respect; calls on the responsible Parliament services to systematically provide information about emissions caused by different modes of transport when making travel reservations;
Amendment 155 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 101 d (new)
Paragraph 101 d (new)
101d. Welcomes the proposal to install tap-water fountains in all Parliament meeting rooms and thus saving resources, as adopted by the Bureau in the CO2 Action plan in February 2009;
Amendment 156 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 101 e (new)
Paragraph 101 e (new)
101e. Invites the responsible Parliament services to present measures to increase the energy efficiency of Parliament's buildings, especially concerning the retrofitting of glass surfaces and bridges;
Amendment 157 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102
Paragraph 102
102. Encourages Parliament's administration to replace official cars with environmentally friendly vehicles by constantly modernising its fleet with less polluting cars and organising grouped transport with VIP minibuses to airports in Brussels and Strasbourg in order to reduce Parliament's carbon footprint; reiterates its request, expressed in its resolution on discharge for 2008, that Parliament establish its own bicycle service in Strasbourg; strongly urges that this be realized by September 2011; observes that, as a consequence of the improved bicycle service, the fleet of cars could be smaller;
Amendment 160 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 103 a (new)
Paragraph 103 a (new)
103a. Requests the Bureau to decide, as soon as possible, that all flights booked in respect of travel for Members, staff and assistants will be automatically subject to CO2 compensation;
Amendment 161 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 103 b (new)
Paragraph 103 b (new)
Amendment 162 #
2010/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 104
Paragraph 104
Amendment 50 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that in the present understanding of ‘shared management’ most of the management functions are carried out by national bodies not directly accountable at Union level and over which the Commission has no authoritylimited powers of enforcement;
Amendment 56 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the Member States have primary responsibility for day-to-day management and control of Union expenditure under shared management and that national bodies initiate and process files for Union financial support and validate the reimbursement claims presented to the Commission;
Amendment 59 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that the most likely error rate in payments estimated by the Court of Auditors for the policy groups ‘'Agriculture and natural resources’' (EUR 56 318 000 000million), ‘'Research, energy and transport’' (EUR 7 966 000 000million), ‘'External Aid, development and enlargement’' (EUR 6 596 000 000million) and ‘'Education and Citizenship’' (EUR 2 153 000 000million) is between 2 % and 5 %;
Amendment 61 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that the most likely error rate in payments estimated by the Court of Auditors for the policy group ‘'Cohesion’' (EUR 23 081 000 000million reimbursed certified expenditure) is above 5 %;
Amendment 72 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls its repeated invitations to the Commission to present a proposal for the introduction of mandatory national management declarations (NMDs) issued and signed at ministerial level and duly audited by an independent auditor so as far as such declarations are a necessary and indispensable first step to improve the efficiency of national systems and to enhance national accountability for the use of Union money, insists that the Commission will present such a proposal by September 2011 irrespective of the fact that some Member States might not yet agree with such an initiative;
Amendment 79 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Regrets that the Commission uses secondary legislation as an instrument to reduce its responsibility and underlines that ‘shared management’ is not the same as ‘shared responsibilities’; but also points out that for the shared management programmes, Member States do not yet acknowledge fully their enhanced responsibility which is enshrined in Article 317 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
Amendment 82 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Further notes the important difference between 'recovery' (sums incorrectly received are repaid by the recipient) and 'financial correction' (addressing weaknesses in the system the financial consequences of which are borne by the national taxpayer); recalls its request that all data concerning recoveries should be an integral part of, and included in, the database of final beneficiaries;
Amendment 90 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Believes that unspent Union funds should not be returned to the Member States if a Member State has not paid back to the Union amounts incorrectly received and invites the Commission to take into account any financial correction not yet paid by the Member States before returning unspent annual budget appropriations to the Member States; asks that the rules applicable to the Union budget and programmes should be changed accordingly without delay;
Amendment 99 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Accordingly, does not fully agree with the Commission's statement that financial corrections represent ‘a strong incentive for Member States to improve their management and control systems and thus to prevent or detect and recover irregular payments to final beneficiaries’ (Annual Accounts of the European Union, financial Year 2009, Note 6, page 100);
Amendment 112 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Believes that a ‘scoreboard’ on the quality of controls per Member State and policy area as requested would be an important element in such an analysis and invites the Commission to follow-up on this request without delay and in time for the 2010 discharge procedure;
Amendment 118 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Requests, accordingly, the Commission make the Member States' annual summaries publicly available as part of next year's discharge procedure and upgrade the information provided in these summaries to present a meaningful picture of the Member States' financial management performance; underlines that making the Member States' annual summaries publicly available should be considered as a step towards NMDs and not as a goal in itself:
Amendment 131 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Regrets that the Commission uses the notion ‘tolerable risk of error’ exclusively as a basis to decide what level of irregular use of funds should be considered as acceptable ex-post; takinvites, the view that a forward-looking approach to a possible introduction of a ‘tolerable risk of error’ would includerefore, the Commission to change its approach by transforming the notion 'tolerable risk of error' into a management concept to be translated in the Financial Regulation ainto a new requirement for the Commission's authorising officer by delegation to match spending proposals with an assessment of the irregularity risks and to report in their annual activity reports on the effectiveness of the control measures;
Amendment 152 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Notes the Court of Justice's decision in the combined cases of Volker and Markus Schecke (C93 and 93/09); stresses the validity of the principle of transparency under Article 30(3) of the Financial Regulation and calls on the Commission to swiftly propose substitutes to the provisions which were held invalid by the Court of Justice either in the Financial Regulation, sectoral legislation or any other act; invites the Commission to monitor the Member States' obligation to publish the data correctly and in a timely manner; insists that the Commission will collect all this data in a single database which is easily accessible to the public;
Amendment 7 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the EU recognised that the shut-down and subsequent decommissioning of these NPPs represented a significant financial and economical burden whichbut notes that both Bulgaria and Slovakia remain net exporters of electricity, despite this, these costs could not be fully covered by the Member States concerned, and therefore the Treaties of Accession, as well as subsequent Council Regulations for the implementation of these Treaties, provided for financial assistance to the respective Member States, however, the assistance was not intended to cover the full cost of decommissioning or to compensate for all economic consequences, or continue for an indefinite period,
Amendment 17 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with concern that the detailed decommissioning plans of the three decommissioning programmes in question have not yet been finalised and, as a consequence, that there is noinsufficient information on the timetables, nor on the costs of particular projects, nor on their sources of funding; invites therefore the corresponding national bodies to finalise the plans and the Commission to report on this process; staterecalls that the still ongoing Performance Audit, should clearly state whether or not further allocation of funds will be necessary afterlast EC commitment under the existing multi- annual framework programme will be made in 2013;
Amendment 19 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Fears that a lack of financial resources for decommissioning measures will delay the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and threaten the environment and human health;
Amendment 22 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that estimates for total financial assistance from the European Union to the three Member States from 1999 until the end of 2013 come to EUR 2 847.785 million. Although Since significant technological differences among the NPPs exist, especially as regards fueldecommissioning storage, in principle the programmes share the same technology. However, there are considerable differences in the allocated amounts: Ignalina (2 reactors): EUR 1 367 million, Botegies and nuclear waste management vary, there are obvious differences in the allocated amounts between Lithuanice (2 reactors ): EUR 613 million, and Kozloduy (4 reactors): EUR 867.78 milliona, Slovakia and Bulgaria;
Amendment 28 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Considers it necessary for the funds to be managed and their resources to be used with absolute transparency;
Amendment 29 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. CallsDeeply regrets the lack of annual reports from the Commission to the European Parliament on the use of financial resources earmarked for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants; calls therefore on the Commission to monitor and report annually to the EU Parliament on whether the improvements in use of the accumulated funds, which only started in recent yearfunds, continue in the future, and whether the prognosis that the accumulated funds for the decommissioning of these specific nuclear power plants will be absorbed over the next three years still holds true;
Amendment 31 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Invites the Commission to conduct an analysis in order to ascertain whether the possibility of allocating amounts for upcoming decommissioning projects until 2013 exists, especially since the decommissioning licences will be released for Bohunice in July 2011 and for Kozloduy in the end of 2011 and end of 2012;
Amendment 34 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Invites the Commission to provide comparative information on the implementation of the initial and revised schedules for different stages of the decommissioning processes, as well as the on measures in energy and social domains, prior to any further allocation of EU funds;
Amendment 39 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – introductory part
Paragraph 15 – introductory part
15. Suggests that, as regards future activities to be financed from theEU allocated amounts within the 2007-2013 period, further issues need clarifying;
Amendment 41 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point 1
Paragraph 15 – point 1
· whether the already existing plans and strategies are complete or whether the possibility of adding new activities and subsequently additional funds still existsoverall temporary storage capacity and a procedure to select a final domestic disposal site for final radioactive waste are complete or not;
Amendment 43 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point 2
Paragraph 15 – point 2
· whether there is still a need for further amounts to be allocated for energy projects or it is necessary to focus on the decommissioning projectsor not;
Amendment 45 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point 3
Paragraph 15 – point 3
Amendment 48 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the progress on the Bohunice programme, in particular in the area of energy projects, where most projects are currently under implementation, or have already been implemented;
Amendment 49 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. WelcomesLooks forward to the overall good technical and financial performanceCommission's assessment of the Kozloduy programme, and the reviewnotes the change of the decommissioning strategy for Units 1 to 4, which was changtransformed from an initial deferred dismantling strategy to an immediate continuously dismantling strategy;
Amendment 50 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes with concerns a rather high share of energy projects in the distribution of public allocated funds; calls on the Commission to monitor the implementation of the remaining energy projects and to report on the results; and expects to see an increase in the proportion of ‘Decommissioning and Waste’ projects in the remaining period of the Kozloduy programme;
Amendment 52 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Notes with deep concern the current strategy that for most irradiated fuel elements originating in the Republic of Bulgaria are to be reprocessed in Russia; as a result, the main hazards to human beings and the environment which are involved in handling the most hazardous product of the use of nuclear energy are displaced into a non-EU member state. Reprocessing on the one hand entails a very serious potential for safety hazards (very high radioactive emissions during normal operation and possible serious accidents) and on the other hand entails a major danger of proliferation and hence of the use of nuclear energy for belligerent purposes; reprocessing is not an acceptable method of disposing of irradiated fuel elements;
Amendment 53 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. Urges, therefore, that rapid progress should be made on the final disposal of irradiated fuel elements and highly radioactive waste in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and in particular in Bulgaria;
Amendment 55 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the need for administrative coordination betwat the Member States guaranteen the State Enterprise for Radioactive Waste (SERAW) and Kozloduy NPP, now responsible for Units 1-2 and Units 3-4 respectiveat the implementing authorities responsible for decommissioning be legally and functionally; invites the Bulgarian side to ensure that the divided management does not jeopardise the decommissioning process, and/or to bring together Units 1-4 under a common management as soon as possibledependent from any organisation promoting or operating nuclear power so that it does not jeopardise the decommissioning process;
Amendment 57 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that the Commission had experienced severe difficulties in obtaining information in the course of its studies;
Amendment 61 #
2010/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Considers that the purpose of the Community assistance is to support these three Member States in coping with the financial and economical burden caused by fixed closure dates, and not to cover the full cost of decommissioning; notes, however, that in all three cases the costs for decommissioning of the power plants have exceeded the planned EU assistance, and are also likely to exceed the initial estimates; notes also with concern that most of the funds were used for energy projects and not for the main aim of the financial assistance: NPP decommissioning;
Amendment 18 #
2010/0303(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Recent events highlighted the risks of offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities to maritime transport and the marine environment. The use of the Agency's response capabilities should be explicitly extended to cover prevention of and response to pollution originating from such activities. In addition, the Agency should assist the Commission in analysing the safety of mobile offshore gas and oil installations, in order to identify possible weaknesses, basing its contribution on the expertise it has developed with regard to maritime safety, maritime security, the prevention of pollution caused by ships and response to marine pollution. The Agency should in particular, through its existing satellite monitoring and surveillance service, assist the Commission and the Member States in detecting and dealing with the effects of oil spills emanating from offshore oil and gas installations.
Amendment 23 #
2010/0303(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The Agency carries out inspections in order to assist the CommissIn particular, the Agency should assist the Commission in carrying out inspections in third countries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea Regions in the assessment of the effective implementation of EU law. The roles of the Agency, the Commission, the Member States and the Administrative Board should be clearly definedwhose waters oil and gas exploration and production is taking place, and in assisting those third countries in strengthening their capacity to improve the safety of their offshore operations.
Amendment 30 #
2010/0303(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002
Article 2 - paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
Article 2 - paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
(ca) extend the use of the existing electronic detection system to additional types of vessels.
Amendment 31 #
2010/0303(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002
Article 3 - paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 - paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. In order to perform the tasks entrusted to it and to assist the Commission in fulfilling its duties under the Treaty in particular the assessment of the effective implementation of Union law, the Agency shall assist the Commission in reviewing environmental impact assessments and carry out inspections in the Member States.
Amendment 32 #
2010/0303(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002
Article 3 - paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 3 - paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
In addition, the Agency shall carry out inspections on behalf of the Commission in third countries as required by EU legislation, in particular regarding organisations recognised by the Union in accordance with Regulation (EC) 391/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council and the training and certification of seafarers in accordance with Directive 2008/106/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. The Agency shall in particular assist the Commission in carrying out inspections in third countries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea Regions in whose waters oil and gas exploration and production is taking place, and in assisting those third countries in strengthening their capacity to improve the safety of their offshore operations.
Amendment 19 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) In line with the conclusions of the Environmental Council of 4 December 2008, the Commission should, as a priority, ensure the proper implementation of the provisions of Directive 2001/18/EC, particularly the requirements of Annex II on the environmental risk assessment. Until the risk assessment provisions are properly implemented, no new GMO variety should be authorised.
Amendment 26 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Experience has shown that cultivation of GMOs is an issue which is more thoroughly addressed by Member States, either at central or at regional and local level. Contrary to issues related to the placing on the market and the import of GMOs, which should remain regulated at EU level to preserve the internal market, cultivation has been acknowledged as an issue with a strong local/regional dimension. Moreover, the harmonised environmental and health risks assessment might not address all possible impacts of GMO cultivation in different regions and ecosystems. In accordance with Article 2(2) TFEU Member States should therefore be entitled to have a possibility to adopt rules concerning the effective cultivation of GMOs in their territory after the GMO has been legally authorised to be placed on the EU market.
Amendment 31 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) In this context, it appears appropriate to grant to Member States, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, more freedom to decide whether or not they wish to cultivate GMO crops on their territory without changing the system of Union authorisations of GMOs and independently of the measures that Member States are entitlrequired to take by application of Article 26a of Directive 2001/18/EC to avoid the unintended presence of GMOs in other products.
Amendment 36 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Member States should therefore be authorised to adopt measures restricting or prohibiting the cultivation of all or particular GMOs in all or part of their territory, and respectively amend those measures as they deem appropriate, at all stages of the authorisation, re-authorisation or withdrawal from the market of the concerned GMOs. ThiCultivation is in fact closely linked to land use and the conservation of fauna and flora, areas in which the Member States retain significant powers. National territories are characterised by an ample diversity of ecosystems. Any impacts on these ecosystems, in particular by possible changes of agricultural practices, may also have health implications. The possibility of adopting these measures should apply as well to genetically modified varieties of seed and plant propagating material which are placed on the market in accordance with relevant legislation on the marketing of seeds and plant propagating material and, in particular, in accordance with Directives 2002/53/EC and 2002/55/EC. Measures should refer to the cultivation of GMOs only and not to the free circulation and import of genetically modified seeds and plant propagating material, as or in products, and of the products of their harvest. Similarly they should not affect the cultivation of non genetically modified varieties of seed and plant propagating material in which adventitious or technically unavoidable traces of EU authorised GMOs are found.
Amendment 37 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) According to the legal framework for the authorisation of GMOs, the level of protection of human/animal health and of the environment chosen in the EU cannot be revised by a Member State and this situation must not be altered. However Member States may adopt measures restricting or prohibiting the cultivation of all or particular GMOs in all or part of their territory on the basis of grounds relating to the public interest other than those already addressed by the harmonised set of EU rules which already provide for procedures to take into account the risks that a GMO for cultivation may pose on health and the environment. The grounds given by the Member States may include consideration of environmental or health impacts complementary to those already covered by the risk assessment provided for in Part C of Directive 2001/18/EC, and may thus, at least partially, include the consideration of scientific data relating to the central, local or regional environmental impact on receiving environments or relate to the persistence of scientific uncertainty regarding environmental or health impacts examined during the risk assessment process, or the absence or lack of sufficient data on potential negative impacts. Those grounds may also depend on factors that are not directly connected with the risk assessment, but are linked to risk management or other national policies. The grounds given by the Member States may also include, inter alia, the risk of resistance development in weeds or in the target organisms, the invasive potential of the plant, the prevention of negative environmental or health impacts of unsustainable farming practices or to the protection and maintenance of agricultural practices that preserve the sustainability of ecosystems. They may also, inter alia, include socio- economic considerations such as the practicality and cost of the measures laid down in Article 26a of Directive 2001/18/EC for avoiding the unintended presence of GMOs in other products, fragmentation of the territory, changes in agricultural practices linked to intellectual property regimes, or social policy objectives such as the conservation of diversity or distinctive agricultural practices. Those measures should furthermore be in conformity with the Treaties, in particular as regards the principle of non discrimination between national and non national products and Articles 34 and 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as well as with the relevant international obligations of the Union, notably in the context of the World Trade Organisation. .
Amendment 40 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Under that legal framework, GMOs for cultivation are to undergo an individual risk assessment before being authorised to be placed on the Union market in accordance with Annex II to Directive 2001/18/EC taking into account the direct, indirect, immediate and delayed effects, as well as the cumulative long-term effects, on human health and the environment. This risk assessment provides scientific advice to inform the decision making process and is followed by a risk management decision that also takes into account other legitimate factors relevant to the matter. The aim of that authorisation procedure is to ensure a high level of protection of human life and health, animal health and welfare, the environment and consumer interests, whilst ensuring the effective functioning of the internal market. A uniform high level of protection of health and the environment should be achieved and maintained throughout the territory of the Union.
Amendment 41 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) The Commission and Member States should ensure, as a priority, the implementation of the Environment Council Conclusions adopted on 4 December 2008, namely a proper implementation of the legal requirements laid down in Annex II to Directive 2001/18/EC for the risk assessment of GMOs. In particular, the long-term environmental effects of genetically modified crops as well as their potential effects on non-target organisms should be rigorously assessed; the characteristics of the receiving environments and the geographical areas in which genetically modified crops may be cultivated should be duly taken into account; and the potential environmental consequences brought about by changes in the use of herbicides linked to herbicide-tolerant genetically modified crops should be assessed. More specifically, the Commission should ensure that the draft implementing Regulation on environmental risk assessment of GMOs is presented in due time. This implementing Regulation should not be based on the principle of substantial equivalence or on the concept of a comparative safety assessment, and should ensure that the current practices are improved, e.g. by clearly identifying direct and indirect long-term effects, as well as scientific uncertainties.
Amendment 46 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 2 b (new)
Recital 2 b (new)
(2b) There is a need for the precautionary principle to be taken into account in the framework of this Directive and when implementing this Directive.
Amendment 50 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) On the basis of the subsidiarity principle, the purpose of this Regulation is not to harmonize the conditions of cultivation in Member States but to grant freedom to Member States to invoke other grounds thancomplementary to, or differing from, the scientific assessment of health and environmental risks to ban cultivation of GMOs on their territory or which have not been addressed properly in the risk assessment. In addition one of the purposes of Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations which is to allow the Commission to consider the adoption of binding acts at EU level would not be served by the systematic notification of Member States’ measures under that Directive. Moreover, since measures which Member States can adopt under this Regulation cannot have as a subject the placing of the market of GMOs and thus does not modify the conditions of placing on the market of GMOs authorised under the existing legislation, the notification procedure under Directive 98/34/EC does not appear the most appropriate information channel for the Commission. Therefore, by derogation, Directive 98/34/EC should not be applicable. A simpler notification system of the national measures prior to their adoption appears to be a more proportionate tool for the Commission to be aware of these measures. Measures which Member States intend to adopt should thus be communicated together with their reasons to the Commission and to the other Member States one month prior to their adoption for information purposes.
Amendment 52 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 2 c (new)
Recital 2 c (new)
Amendment 55 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point -1 (new)
Article 1 – point -1 (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 22
Article 22
Directive 2001/18/EC shall be amended as follows: (-1) Article 22 shall be replaced by the following: ‘Article 22 Free circulation Without prejudice to Article 23 or Article 26b, Member States may not prohibit, restrict or impede the placing on the market of GMOs, as or in products, which comply with the requirements of this Directive.’
Amendment 56 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point -1 a (new)
Article 1 – point -1 a (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 25 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 25 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC shall be amended as follows: (-1a) In Article 25, the following paragraph shall be inserted: ‘4a. Without undue prejudice to the protection of intellectual property rights, the access to material necessary for independent research on potential risks of GMOs, such as seed material, shall not be restricted or impeded.’
Amendment 57 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point -1 b (new)
Article 1 – point -1 b (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 a – paragraph 1
Article 26 a – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC shall be amended as follows: (-1b) Article 26a(1) shall be replaced by the following: ‘1. Member States shall take all appropriate measures to avoid the unintended presence of GMOs in other products on their territory and on the territory of other Member States.’
Amendment 63 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Experience has shown that cultivation of GMOs is an issue which is more thoroughly addressed at Member State level, as different scientific interpretations and political valuations of risks exist. Issues related to the placing on the market and the import of GMOs should remain regulated at Union level to preserve the internal market. Cultivation may however require more flexibility in certain instances as it is an issue with strong national, regional and local dimensions, given its link to land use, to local agricultural structures and to the protection or maintenance of habitats, ecosystems and landscapes. The common authorisation procedure, in particular the evaluation process, should not be adversely affected by such flexibility.
Amendment 67 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 1 – point a – introductory part
Article 26 b – paragraph 1 – point a – introductory part
(a) those measures are based on grounds other than those related to the assessment of the adverse effect on health and environment which might arise from the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOs;
Amendment 67 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) In order to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs, some Member States had recourse to the safeguard clauses and emergency measures pursuant to Article 23 of Directive 2001/18/EC and Article 34 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 as a result of, depending on the cases, new or additional information made available since the date of the consent and affecting the environmental risk assessment, or of the reassessment of existing information. Other Member States have made use of the notification procedure set out in Article 114(5) and (6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) which requires putting forward new scientific evidence relating to the protection of the environment or the working environment. In addition, the decision-making process has proved to be particularly difficult as regards the cultivation of GMOs in the light of the expression of national concerns which do not only relate to issues associated with the safety of GMOs for health or the environment.
Amendment 68 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 1 – point a – point i (new)
Article 26 b – paragraph 1 – point a – point i (new)
(i) grounds relating to environmental or health impacts which might arise from the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOs, and which are complementary to the environmental or health impacts examined during the risk assessment process conducted under Part C of this Directive or have not been sufficiently dealt with as part of this assessment; or
Amendment 69 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
(ii) the persistence of scientific uncertainty regarding environmental and health impacts examined during the risk assessment process conducted under Part C of this Directive; or
Amendment 70 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point iii (new)
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point iii (new)
(iii) the absence or lack of data on the potential negative impacts of the release of GMOs on the territory, biodiversity or population of the Member State; or
Amendment 71 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point iv (new)
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point iv (new)
(iv) grounds relating to the prevention of the development of pesticide resistance amongst weeds and pests; or
Amendment 72 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point v (new)
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point v (new)
(v) grounds relating to the invasiveness or persistence of a GM-variety, or to the possibility of interbreeding with domestic cultivated or wild plants; or
Amendment 73 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point vi (new)
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point vi (new)
(vi) grounds relating to the prevention of negative environmental and health impacts of unsustainable farming practices; or
Amendment 74 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point vii (new)
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point vii (new)
( vii) grounds relating to the protection and maintenance of agricultural practices that preserve the sustainability of ecosystems, the maintenance of certain habitats and ecosystems, or certain types of natural and landscape features; or
Amendment 75 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point viii (new)
Article 26 b paragraph 1 – point a – point viii (new)
(viii) other grounds that may include, inter alia, changes in agricultural practices, land use, town and country planning, socio-economic impacts, or other legitimate factors;
Amendment 83 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) The grant of flexibility to Member States should in no way influence the positioning of Member States when it comes to decisions on authorisations of GMOs. At the same time, freedom of choice of consumers, farmers and operators should be preserved whilst providing greater clarity to affected stakeholders concerning the cultivation of GMOs in the Union. This Directive is therefore compatible with the smooth functioning of the internal market.
Amendment 91 #
2010/0208(COD)
Amendment 94 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 9
Recital 9
Amendment 109 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) In addition, and only where the notifier/applicant has refused to adjust the geographical scope of the notification/application of a GMO as requested by a Member State, there should be the possibility for that Member State to adopt reasoned measures restricting or prohibiting the cultivation of that GMO once authorised in all or part of its territory, on the basis of grounds distinct from those assessed according to the harmonized set of Union rules, that is Directive 2001/18/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, which are in conformity with Union law. ThoseMember States should always have the possibility to act as risk manager, and adopt reasoned measures restricting or prohibiting the cultivation of a GMO, groups of GMOs defined by crop or trait or of all GMOs in all or part of their territory, on the basis of grounds may be related to environmental or agricultural policy objectives, or other compelling grounds such as town and countrylegitimate factors which might arise from the deliberate release or the planncing, land use, on the market of GMOs, such as socio- economic impacts, co-existence and public policor persisting scientific uncertainty. Those grounds may be invoked individually or in combination, depending on the particular circumstances of the Member State, region or area in which those measures will apply.
Amendment 111 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 2
Article 26 b – paragraph 2
By way of derogation to Directive 98/34/EC, Member States that intend to adopt reasoned measures under this Article shall communicate them to the other Member States and to the Commission, one month prior to their adoption for information purposes’.
Amendment 114 #
2010/0208(COD)
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b a (new)
Article 26 b a (new)
(1a) The following Article shall be inserted: ‘Article 26 ba Liability requirements Member States shall establish a general mandatory system of financial liability and financial guarantees, for example through insurance, which applies to all business operators and which ensures that the polluter pays for unintended effects or damages that might occur due to the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOs.’
Amendment 114 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) Member States should also be allowed to base such measures on grounds relating to socio-economic impacts. These may include grounds such as the impracticability or the high costs of coexistence measures or the impossibility of implementing coexistence measures due to specific geographical conditions such as small islands or mountain zones; the need to protect the diversity of agricultural production; or the need to ensure seed purity.
Amendment 130 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Member States' measures adopted pursuant to this Directive should be subject to a procedure of scrutiny and information at Union level. In light of the level of Union scrutiny and information, it is not necessary to provide, in addition, for the application of Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council1. Member States may restrict or prohibit the cultivation of all, a group of, or a specific GMO in all or part of their territory as from the date of entry into force of the Union authorisation and no later than two years after the date when the consent/authorisation is granted, provided that an established standstill period, during which the Commission was given the opportunity to comment on the proposed measures, has elapsedfor the whole duration of the consent/authorisation. __________________ 1 Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services (OJ L 204, 21.7.1998, p. 37.).
Amendment 132 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Decisions to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs by Member States in all or part of their territory should not prevent biotechnology research from being carried out provided that, in carrying out such research, all necessary safety measures are observed. Moreover, the European Food Safety Authority and the Member States should aim to establish an extensive network of scientific organisations representing all disciplines including those relating to ecological issues, and should cooperate to identify at an early stage any potential divergence between scientific opinions with a view to resolving or clarifying the contentious scientific issues. The Commission and the Member States should ensure that the necessary resources for independent research on the potential risks arising from the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOs are secured, and that the enforcement of intellectual property rights does not prevent independent researchers from accessing all relevant material.
Amendment 143 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 17
Recital 17
Amendment 145 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Written consents or decisions of authorisations issued or adopted with a geographical scope limited to certain areas or mMeasures adopted by Member States, in accordance with this Directive, which restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs, should not prevent or restrict the use of authorised GMOs by other Member States. In addition, this Directive and the national measures adopted pursuant to it should be without prejudice to Union law requirements concerning unintended and adventitious presence of GMOs in non- genetically modified varieties of seed and plant propagating material, and should not prevent the cultivation of varieties complying with these requirements.
Amendment 154 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) Directive 2001/18/EC and Regulation (EU) No 1829/20031a should be amended accordingly, __________________ 1a Regulation No 1829/2003 (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the European Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed (OJ L 268, 18.10.2003 p. 1.).
Amendment 156 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Amendment 157 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point - 1 (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point - 1 (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 22
Article 22
(- 1) Article 22 is replaced by the following: 'Article 22 Free circulation Without prejudice to Article 23 or Article 26b, Member States shall not prohibit, restrict or impede the placing on the market of GMOs, as or in products, which comply with the requirements of this Directive.'
Amendment 158 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point -1a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point -1a (new)
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 25
Article 25
(-1a) In Article 25, the following paragraph is added: '5a. Without prejudice to the protection of intellectual property rights, access to material necessary for independent research on potential risks arising from the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOs, such as seed material, shall not be restricted or impeded.'
Amendment 159 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point -1 b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point -1 b
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 7 – paragraph 3, Article 18 – paragraph 1 Article 23 – paragraph 2 and Article 30 –
Article 7 – paragraph 3, Article 18 – paragraph 1 Article 23 – paragraph 2 and Article 30 –
paragraph 2
(-1b) In Articles 7(3), 18(1) and 23(2), the reference to Article 30(2) is replaced by a reference to Article 30(3). In Article 30(3), the following words are added: 'However, by way of derogation from paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 5a, a draft measure authorising a GMO shall not be adopted if the Council has not given a positive opinion.'
Amendment 177 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26b – paragraph 1
Article 26b – paragraph 1
Amendment 189 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26b – paragraph 2
Article 26b – paragraph 2
Amendment 199 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
3. Where the notifier/applicant opposes the adjustment of the geographical scope of its notification/application corresponding to a request made by a Member State in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article, that Member State may adopt measures restricting or prohibiting the cultivation of thatA Member State may, following the risk assessment carried out pursuant to this Directive or to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 and acting as risk manager, adopt measures restricting or prohibiting the cultivation of a GMO or of groups of GMOs defined by crop or trait or of all GMOs in all or part of its territory once authorised in accordance with Part C of this Directive or with Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, provided that such measures are in conformity with Union law, reasoned, proportional and non-discriminatory and, in addition, are based on compelling based on grounds such as those related to:
Amendment 200 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) environmental policy objectives distinct from the elements assessed according to this Directive and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003; relating to environmental impacts which might arise from the deliberate release or the placing on the market of GMOs and which are complementary to the impacts concretely examined during the scientific risk assessment conducted according to this Directive and Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003. Those grounds may include, inter alia: - the prevention of the development of pesticide resistance amongst weeds and pests; - the prevention of an increased use of pesticides due to GMO cultivation; - the invasiveness or persistence of a genetically modified variety, or the possibility of interbreeding with domestically cultivated or wild plants; - the prevention of negative impacts on the local environment caused by changes in agricultural practices linked to the cultivation of GMOs; - the maintenance of local biodiversity, including certain habitats and ecosystems, or certain types of natural and landscape features, as well as specific ecosystem functions and services; - the absence or lack of adequate data concerning the potential negative impacts of the release of GMOs on the local or regional environment of a Member State, including on biodiversity; -scientific uncertainties as regards any of the grounds mentioned above, i.e. contradictory evidence or the absence of sufficient science.
Amendment 225 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g
(g) agricultural policy objectives;. Those grounds may include: - the need to protect the diversity of agricultural production; - the need to protect organic and/or traditional small scale farming structures; - the need to preserve cultural heritage linked to sustainable practices; - the maintenance and development of agricultural practices which offer a better potential to reconcile production with long-term ecosystem sustainability; – the need to ensure seed purity.
Amendment 226 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
(ga) public opinion
Amendment 231 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g b (new)
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point g b (new)
(gb) public morals, including ethical or philosophical concerns.
Amendment 233 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 26 b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Those grounds may be invoked individually or in combination, with the exception of the ground set out in point (g) which cannot be used individually, depending on the particular circumstances of the Member State, region or area in which those measures will apply, but shall, in no case, conflict withafter having considered the results of the environmental risk assessment carried out pursuant to this Directive or to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003.
Amendment 256 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26b – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 26b – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 273 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 6
Article 26 b – paragraph 6
Amendment 275 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 b – paragraph 7
Article 26 b – paragraph 7
Amendment 290 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Directive 2001/18/EC
Article 26 c
Article 26 c
Amendment 304 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 2
Article 2
No later than 4 years after…+ , the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council regarding the use made by Member States of this Directive including the effectiveness of the provisions enabling Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs in all or part of their territory and the smooth functioning of the internal market. That report may be accompanied by any legislative proposals the Commission considers appropriate. The Commission shall also report on the progress towards giving normative status to the strengthened 2010 Authority guidance on the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants. __________________ + OJ: please insert the date of the entry into force of this Directive.
Amendment 309 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 2 a (new)
Article 2 a (new)
Article 2a No later than ...+ , the Commission shall present a draft implementing Regulation on environmental risk assessment of GMOs. That implementing Regulation shall ensure, inter alia, that the following is adequately taken into account in the environmental risk assessment: -long-term direct and indirect environmental effects of genetically modified crops; -potential effects on non-target organisms; -different characteristics of the receiving environments and the geographical areas in which genetically modified crops may be cultivated; -resistance of pests or weeds to pesticides; -the potential environmental consequences brought about by changes in the use of herbicides linked to herbicide-tolerant genetically modified crops. It shall also ensure that the environmental risk assessment adequately reflects upon scientific uncertainties and diverging interpretation of scientific data. __________________ OJ: Please insert the date six months after the date of entry into force of this Directive.
Amendment 310 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 2 b (new)
Article 2 b (new)
Article 2b No later than ...+, the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council regarding the implementation of Article 26a of Directive 2001/18/EC. That report shall include specific recommendations to Member States and may be accompanied by any legislative proposals the Commission considers appropriate. __________________ +OJ: Please insert the date: three years after the date of entry into force of this Directive
Amendment 311 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 2 c (new)
Article 2 c (new)
Amendment 312 #
2010/0208(COD)
Council position
Article 2 d (new)
Article 2 d (new)
Regulation (EC) No1829/2003
Article 7 – paragraph 3, Article 19 – paragraph 3, Article 35 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3, Article 19 – paragraph 3, Article 35 – paragraph 3
Article 2d Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 is amended as follows: (1) In Articles 7(3) and 19(3), the reference to Article 35(2) is replaced by a reference to Article 35(3). (2) In Article 35(3), the following words are added: 'However, by way of derogation from paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 5a, a draft measure authorising a GMO shall not be adopted if the Council has not given a positive opinion.'
Amendment 1 #
2009/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Takes the view that measurebinding provisions concerning compliance with important environment and human health standards, and with standards on some aspects of veterinary health, should be taken in the context ofan integral part of all international trade agreements;
Amendment 3 #
2009/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Urges the Commission to work towards the contractual definition of environmental and health standards in the bilateral trade agreements it presently negotiates with South Korea, Peru, Colombia, India, the ACP countries, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and a range of countries participating in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP);
Amendment 7 #
2009/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Calls on the Commission to engage its partners in the current negotiations on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to accept that the human rights and social and environmental standards contained in the "Sustainable Development" Chapters are integral part of FTAs and subject of FTA dispute settlement procedures on a par with commercial disputes; expects the Commission to not agree to any FTA text not containing a legally binding clause in this sense;
Amendment 8 #
2009/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Underlines the importance of a binding provision in the currently negotiated FTAs that impedes the encouragement of investments by relaxing domestic environmental or labour or occupational health and safety legislation; calls on the Commission to make sure that any such provision cannot be waived or otherwise derogated from as an encouragement for the establishment, acquisition, expansion or retention in its territory of an investment of an investor;
Amendment 9 #
2009/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes the view that the World Trade Organisation should monitor the implementation of compliance with obligations in this area; as a first step, calls on the Commission to engage WTO Members to accept that delegations from ILO and the secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) have full observer status in WTO proceedings and are granted the right to give their opinion prior to WTO rule changes and prior to any final judgement of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body;
Amendment 5 #
2009/2217(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the importance of achieving the Millennium Development Goals and deplores the fact that, although some progress has been made, in some areas, Afghanistan has descended from rank 173 in 2003 to rank 181 (out of 182 countries) in UNDP's Human Development Index and whereas mortality rates among children aged under five and maternal mortality rates in Afghanistan remain among the highest in the world; urges, therefore,, considers that these specific objectives, as well as access to health and education, in particular for women, should not be neglected and, but urges that special attention should also be paid to accesbe paid to improved income generation as well as to thealth and education, in particular for women construction of a functioning justice system;
Amendment 6 #
2009/2217(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals in its study of January 2010 that corruption is the biggest concern of the population and that revenues generated by bribery amounts to almost one quarter (23%) of Afghanistan's GDP;
Amendment 7 #
2009/2217(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Takes the view that the fight against corruption should be at the core of the peace building process in Afghanistan, since bribery causes misallocation of resources, constitutes an obstacle for the access to basic public services, such as health or education, and represents a huge impediment to the country's socio- economic development; emphasises likewise that corruption undermines confidence in the public sector and the government, and constitutes consequently a major threat to the stability of the country; therefore, urges the EU to give special attention to the fight against corruption when providing assistance to the country;
Amendment 8 #
2009/2217(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Notes that 80% of the population is settled in the rural area while the arable land per capita diminished from 0.55 ha in 1980 to 0.25 ha in 2007; highlights that Afghanistan continues to be highly vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions or rising food prices on the world market, while the widespread and indiscriminate use of landmines poses a significant risk to successful rural development; deems in this context of primary importance to continue and enhance funding geared towards rural development and local food production to achieve food security;
Amendment 9 #
2009/2217(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that Afghanistan accounts for 90% of world opium productiomore than 90% of heroin in Europe originates from Afghanistan and that the cost to public health in European countries runs into billions of dollars; proposes, therefore, massive investment in the establishment of a comprehensive agricultural and rural policy which offers opium producers a credible, lasting alternative; recalls that the challenges posed by the drug economy in Afghanistan must be tackled not only nationally but internationally by addressing all links of the drug chain, which requires in particular; assistance to farmers to reduce supply; drug prevention and treatment to curb demand, and law enforcement against the intermediaries; in particular, proposes massive investment in the establishment of a comprehensive agricultural and rural policy which offers opium producers a credible, lasting alternative; insists also upon the need to integrate environment in the agriculture and rural strategy as degradation of the environment, caused for instance by poor management of water resources or the destruction of natural forest, is one of the main barrier to the development of agricultural economy;
Amendment 10 #
2009/2217(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Takes act that despite over 350 million euros in donor assistance, the presidential and provincial council elections held in Afghanistan in August 2009 were marred by irregularities and fraud, putting the legitimacy of the Karsai government under heavy strain; condemns in this context the unravelling of the independent status of the Electoral Complaints Commission by the President in February 2010 as the last instance to hold the government responsible for possible fraud in the upcoming parliamentary elections;
Amendment 25 #
2009/2166(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Calls on the EIB to increase its lending to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects; calls on the EIB also to play a leading role in the transition to a low-carbon economy and to adopt a plan for the phase-out of fossil fuel lending in line with Parliament’s resolution of 29 November 2007 on trade and climate change, paragraph 29 of which called for ‘the discontinuation of public support, via export credit agencies and public investment banks, for fossil fuel projects and for the redoubling of efforts to increase the transfer of renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies’;
Amendment 27 #
2009/2166(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Calls on the EIB to guarantee privileged financing for projects with a high social and environmental value;
Amendment 13 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the deregulation of financial markets has caused a systemic crisis of global dimensions, which requires international compensation and burden sharing; whereas the privatisation and deregulation policies of the IMF and the World Bank also contributed to the acceleration of the economic and financial crisis,
Amendment 19 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is acutely aware that the past two years have seen a succession of global crises (food, fuelenergy, climate and financial) which have serious impacts on industrialised and emerging countries, but devastating implications for the poor population groups in developing countries, with over 200 million workers exposed to extreme poverty worldwide and more than a sixth of the world'’s population suffering from hunger;
Amendment 23 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Deplores that all EU pledges (99%) are from existing commitments; 8.8bn are frontloaded, meaning there is a danger that in the coming years there will be less development aid climate finance; urges the EU to allocate additional money for its commitments;
Amendment 40 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Firmly believes that taxing the banking system to fund a deposit insurance or a resolution fund would not be a fair contribution from the financial sector to global social justice; calls insteadalso for an international levy on financial transactions to make the overall tax system more equitable and to generate additional resources for financing development and global public goods;
Amendment 44 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes with great concern that developing countries are expected to face a financial gap of between USD 350 billion and USD 635 billion in 2009 and that mounting fiscal distress in the most vulnerable countries is imperilling USD 11.6 billion of core spending in education, health, infrastructure and social protection; advocates therefore a three-year moratorium on debt repayments, including capital and interest, to enabledebt cancellation – at least for least developing countries to– to enable them implement countercyclical fiscal policies to mitigate the severe effects of the crisis; proposes the establishment at international level of an independent and transparent body for debt arbitration;
Amendment 48 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls upon the Member States, within the European Union Emission Trading System framework, to devote a fair share100% of the revenues generated from the auctioning of carbon emission allowances to support developing countries in coping with climate change, in accordance with Directive 2003/87/EC1; 1 Article 10 of Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).Or. en
Amendment 53 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Supports the creation of joint public- public and public-private initiatives for development, based on a public lead with private donors'’ support and in line with partner countries'’ priorities, as a means to increase direct investment in developing countries and facilitate technology transfer;
Amendment 58 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Regards trade as a main driver of economic growth and poverty reductionfair and regulated trade as one of the sustainable economic development factors in the fight against poverty in developing countries and calls upon the EU and Member States to leverage their international influence for a successful, fair and development-oriented conclusion of the Doha Round, while enhancing the pro- poor focus of EU Aid for Trade policy;
Amendment 62 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reaffirms the fact that Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) should be regarddesigned as a pro-development tool and urges the Commission to work towards a rapid conclusion of the negotiations,to foster ACP countries’ sustainable development while taking into account the ways in which EPA provisions may impact on the ability of developingACP countries to cope with the crisis;
Amendment 70 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes that half of all illicit financial flows out of developing countries are related to the mispricing of trade and reinforces its call for a new binding, global financial agreement at EU as well as UN level which forces transnational corporations to automatically disclose the profits made and the taxes paid on a country-by-country basis, so as to ensure transparency about sales, profits and taxes in every jurisdiction where they are located;
Amendment 76 #
2009/2150(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Welcomes the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) enforcement of its existing policy towards Offshore Financial Centres; requests the EU, the Member States and the EIB to take up a vanguard role and make investment through tax havens less attractivein the fight against tax havens by adopting rules of public procurement and disbursement of public funds which prohibit any company, bank or other institution registered in a tax haven from benefiting from public funds;
Amendment 2 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 b (new)
Citation 22 b (new)
- having regard to the European Parliament Resolution of 15 March 2007 on local authorities and development cooperation,
Amendment 4 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 d (new)
Citation 22 d (new)
- having regard to the Communication of the Commission of 8 October 2008 "Local Authorities: actors for development",
Amendment 6 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 f (new)
Citation 22 f (new)
- having regard to the Structured Dialogue launched in 2010 by the European Commission with the aim to involve civil society organizations (CSOs) & Local Authorities (LAs) in EC development cooperation,
Amendment 8 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas the principles of ownership, participation and good governance call for a multi-stakeholder approach in which the various development partners, i.e. local authorities or non-state actors, act in a complementary and coherent manner; and whereas it is important, however, to make a clear distinction between the specific role of local authorities and that of non-state actors, in terms of their sphere of competence, legitimacy and democratic control, experience in the management of local affairs and involvement in the implementation of public policies,
Amendment 9 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Dc. whereas EU’s funding for international cooperation with Africa comes from three geographic instruments: the EDF for African-ACP countries, the TDCA for South Africa and the ENPI for five North African states; whereas fragmentation of instruments is detrimental to consistency and policy coherence, as enshrined in Article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty,
Amendment 10 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the Earth Summit 2012 aims to secure renewed political commitment to sustainable development, to assess progress towards internationally agreed goals on sustainable development and to address new and emerging challenges,
Amendment 12 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. RegDeplorets that severalmany of Parliament’s concerns and recommendations, raised during the democratic scrutiny process, in particular regarding a lack of poverty and MDG focus have not been sufficiently taken into account by the European Commission;
Amendment 14 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Notes that the EU programming leaves generally aside the question of distribution of revenues as an important tool to eradicate poverty but focuses instead on promoting export-oriented growth, achieved i.e. through the liberalisation of trade, on the assumption that it will automatically lead to the reduction of poverty; recalls in this context that a "pro-growth strategy" should not to be confused with a long term development strategy that entails the financing of long-term objectives, such as health, education, access to energy in rural areas, support of small farmers, etc.;
Amendment 16 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Notes with concern that the substantive scrutiny work carried out by the Parliament did not receive any echo from the representatives of the Member States in the DCI Committee; regrets deeply that contrary to Parliament, Member States did not seem to focus on checking the compliance of Commission proposals with the legal provisions of the DCI;
Amendment 18 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls that policy coherence for development, development "ownership" and non fragmentation of aid are essential for ensuring aid effectiveness;
Amendment 19 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Believes that channelling funds to Africa through three different instruments is inefficient and does not respond to Africa’s wish to develop as a unified continent; recommends therefore, in line with the principle of development ownership, to develop a single financing instrument for Africa so as to reflect the "treating-Africa-as-one" principle enshrined in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) and supporting the continental integration agenda;
Amendment 20 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that full compliance with ODA criteria, and in particular with the OECD/DAC requirement that ‘each transaction is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective’’12, must remain a condition for all measures to be funded under geographical programmes under the new instrument; calls for a more stringent ODA quota for thematic programmes than under the current DCI; 1 See OECD/DAC: 'Reporting Directives for the Creditor Reporting System' 2 See OECD/DAC: 'Reporting Direc, especially regarding thematic programmes on "migration and asylum", where the Commission did not demonstrate clearly how activitives for the Creditor Reporting System'unded in the context of border controls are DACable;
Amendment 21 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that achievement of the MDGs must remain the prime objective of the instrument for the period until 2015the support to sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimension is the only way to reduce poverty, by addressing the causes of impoverishment; accordingly, takes the view that while the achievement of the MDGs should remain an essential objective of the instrument for the period until 2015, the achievement of the objective of poverty eradication requires to reflect the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, while implementing fully the principle of policy coherence for development; urges the Commission to ensure that EU aid continues to be coherent with the internationally agreed objectives and targets for development which will be adopted by the United Nations and other competent international organisations for the post-2015 period;
Amendment 23 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Expresses its concern, at a time of serious public budget constraints, about the strong focus placed on private sector investments as a means to leverage more development finance resources; recalls that development cooperation is the only policy of external action (besides humanitarian aid) which has not been designed to serve EU interests, but to defend the interests of the most marginalised and vulnerable populations in this planet; therefore, urges the Commission to ensure that any public finance used to support private sector investment in the South is not diverted from already under-funded sectors (as in the case of the programmes for non-state actors and local authorities for instance), and that such support will effectively enable the development of the domestic private sector and small and medium enterprises in low-income countries;
Amendment 24 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Recalls furthermore that certain conditions must be put in place to ensure that private investments have a positive impact on the poor; accordingly, urges the Commission to conduct a thorough assessment of how publicly-supported private investments in the South have contributed to positive development outcomes (notably through creation of sustainable jobs), while establishing a strict and binding set of standards to ensure responsible financing (as a way to fight against illicit financial flows) and the deliverance of positive development outcomes;
Amendment 25 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Agrees that a differentiated approach to the diverse group of developing countries is needed, and that traditional financial aid may become less relev; considers that emerging countries have the potential to finance their own development and fight against poverty through transparent tax collection systems antd for emerging countries; considers that aid for emerging countries, while promoting sustainable economic growth, should still focus on reinforcing the partner country’s fiscal policy and promoting mobilisation ofair redistribution of wealth; calls therefore on the Commission to phase out traditional financial aid through the DCI, while combating against tax havens, tax evasion and illicit capital flight so as to enable countries to raise domestic revenues which should lead to the reduction of poverty and of aid dependency;
Amendment 26 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Urges the Commission to provide enhanced support for assisting developing and emerging countries in tax reforms with the aim to support effective, efficient, fair and sustainable tax systems; calls on the Commission to effectively integrate the principles of good governance in tax matters into the programming, implementation and monitoring of country and regional strategy papers, while taking the necessary measures to enforce country-by-country reporting of transnational companies;
Amendment 30 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Recalls that, according to the "European Consensus on Development" (2005), developing countries should be responsible for their own national strategies to achieve these goals; in this context, regrets that while the DCI emphasises the importance of ownership of the Country Strategy Papers, the involvement of national parliaments, as in the case of civil society, has been extremely poor in practice;
Amendment 31 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Stresses that the involvement of local authorities in development policies is essential for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and ensuring good governance; in particular, recalls that local authorities have a critical role to play in areas such as education, hunger, health, water, sanitation, social cohesion and local economic development, etc.; deems therefore essential to upgrade their role in the next financial instrument, in line with the principle of development ownership;
Amendment 34 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Insists on strict eligibility criteria for budget support; insists that the Commission must refrain from using this modality in countries where transparency in public spending cannot be assured, that bthe leading role that national parliaments of recipient countries and civil society organisations should play as they are best placed to identify priority sector, prepare Country Strategy Papers and monitor budget allocation; demands that national parliaments adopt Country Strategy Papers and multiannual budgets in consultation with civil society, prior to policy dialogue with donors on Budget sSupport must always be accompanied by actions to develop the receiving country’s parliamentary control and audit capacities and to increase transparency and public access to inform, in order to empower parliamentary scrutiny; thereafter, calls on the Commission to specify in the country strategy papers the involvement of the local authorities, their representative organisation,s and that civil society should be involved in its monitoring; partners in all phases of the cooperation process (dialogues and formulation of strategy papers, programming, implementation, reviews, evaluations);
Amendment 40 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. IPoints out that migration is an area where there is a clear need to prioritize policy coherence for development over short-term EU migration considerations, mostly aimed at fighting illegal immigration; highlights that development funds on migration should not be used for strengthening border management and combating illegal immigration; insists that any future thematic programme on migration must be fully aligned with the EU’s development objectives and that the core funding under this programme must fulfil the ODA eligibility criteria; in particular, stresses that projects dealing with South-South migration should be given priority within the Thematic programme;
Amendment 41 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. SUnderlines that basic education and alphabetization is the starting point of people’s awareness raising process and development ownership; stresses that a new thematic programme on ‘Investing in People’ must put a focus on culture as a tool for emancipation and participation, as well as on the achievement of those MDGs which are most off track and in countries with critical MDG indicators;
Amendment 44 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22b. Recalls that one of the reasons why the MDGs are not fulfilled is the failure to recognise the contributions of the environment, natural resources and ecosystems to human development and poverty elimination; notes with concern that while current European Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocates only 3% of the total spending to environmental issues, an additional problem is that a part of the EU and Member States’ funding to developing countries is invested in projects that foster climate change, rather than mitigate it; underlines that there is a need for improvement in policy coherence for development in the area of climate change, especially regarding climate funding and mainstreaming of climate change concerns into EU development cooperation;
Amendment 45 #
2009/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)
Paragraph 22 c (new)
22c. Points out that the Court of Auditors concluded in its ‘Special Report 6/2006’ that the EU made only limited progress since 2001 in mainstreaming the environment in its development cooperation, as Country Strategy Papers did not take sufficient account of environmental issues; accordingly, urges the Commission to ensure that environmental issues are better mainstreamed and systematically monitored throughout all external policies and financial instruments, especially in the face of the current challenge of climate change and biodiversity loss;
Amendment 3 #
2009/2123(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Urges EFSA to ensure that all former officials, in accordance with Article 16 of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities, inform EFSA when they take up new positions outside the institutions. If such activities could lead to a conflict with the legitimate interests of the institutions, EFSA should take the appropriate measures.
Amendment 3 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. Whereas prevention involves both primary prevention of incidence and secondary prevention via screening and early detection;
Amendment 8 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph H a (new)
Paragraph H a (new)
Ha. whereas environmental factors include not only environmental tobacco smoke, radiation and excessive UV exposure but also exposure to chemical contaminants in food, air, soil and water due to inter alia industrial processes, agricultural practices or the content of such substances in e.g. construction and consumer products;
Amendment 13 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H f (new)
Recital H f (new)
Hf. whereas the rapid rate of increase of some cancers such as e.g. testicular and Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and the increase in childhood cancers of 1% per year in Europe since the last 20 years according to the WHO show that environmental factors must be involved,
Amendment 44 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls upon the Partnership to ensure that all actions in the group ‘Health Promotion and Prevention’; and in ‘Research’ include a component on environmental factors, with environmental factors defined as not only environmental tobacco smoke, radiation, and excessive UV exposure, but also hazardous chemicals in the indoor and outdoor environment to which people are exposed, including endocrine disruptors;
Amendment 55 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for support to be stepped up for research into cancer prevention, including research into the effects of harmful chemicals and environmental pollutants, nutrition, lifestyle, genetic factors, and the interaction of all these, and calls for the links between breast cancer and potential risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol and synthetic environmental and pharmaceutical hormones to be investigated;
Amendment 59 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Stresses that research findings should be translated into concrete action as soon as possible, and that ongoing research should not be used to delay action against known or suspected factors that cause or promote cancer incidence;
Amendment 63 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Commission to encourage Member States to invest more of their resources in prevenabove all in primary prevention (i.e. preventing or reducing factors that cause or promote cancer incidence) and secondly into screening/early detection;
Amendment 66 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the Commission and Member States to set up a European Network for Prevention under the European Cancer Partnership that addresses all health determinants for relevant for cancer, including environmental ones;
Amendment 80 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Considers that proper implementation of existing legislation with regard to substances that cause or promote cancer is of paramount importance in action against cancer; therefore calls on the Commission to ensure full implementation of relevant worker health legislation and to contribute swiftly and in a determined manner to the establishment of a comprehensive candidate list of substances of very high concern as a stepping stone for rapid decisions on CMR substances in the context of authorisations under REACH;
Amendment 81 #
2009/2103(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29b. Similarly calls on the Commission to take rapid action in the context of the Community Strategy on Endocrine Disruptors,
Amendment 2 #
2009/2073(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Urges furthermore that travel expenses of members of the EESC should be based only on actual travel costs , suggests further that daily allowances should be equal to the ones received by the members of the European Parliament, calls on the Secretary General of the EESC to report to the Committee on Budgetary Control of the European Parliament before September 2010 on the appropriate new internal rules that are to be adopted;
Amendment 36 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Fully understands that objective, professional and comprehensive analysis of complex decision-making and management structures and procedures is more challenging and time-consuming than purely rhetorical statements and recommends that the Committee on Budgetary Control be better equipped to accomplish its increasingly demanding tasks by reinforcing substantially the establishment plan for that committee's secretariat;
Amendment 49 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 – introductory part
Paragraph 27 – introductory part
27. Draws attention to the fact that as interface between the public and the private sector, public procurement is, in general, a high-risk area and that Parliament must devote even more; would welcome a strengthening of Parliament's efforts to ensure:
Amendment 55 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Recalls that at each stage of the procurement process - initial assessment of needs, preparing the call for tender, drawing up the calls for tender and the specifications, contacts with tenderers, opening of tenders, evaluation of tenders, award decision, conclusion of contracts - there are significant risks to the achievement of the abovementioned objectives and that further action needs to be taken by the authorising officers by delegation, with the assistance of Parliament's central services, to reduce exposure to risk;
Amendment 67 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Takes the view that the increase registered between 2007 and 2008 clearly obliges the authorising officers to take measures to 'reverse the trend'; is unhappy with the administration's remark that "itnvites the Secretary-General to report to its difficult to reduce further the use of negotiated procedures" (Annual report on the contracts awarded by the European Parliament, 2008, paragraph 39)Committee on Budgetary Control on measures taken before 1 September 2010;
Amendment 70 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Notes that Article 60(4) of the Financial Regulation requires each Authorising Officer by Delegation to "put in place (...) the internal management and control procedures suited to the performance of his/her duties (...)" and that the second paragraph of Article 60(7) of the Financial Regulation requires the same actor in the financial management to report on "the efficiency and effectiveness" of the systems he/she has put in place; takes the view that the two functions are incompatible and that they should be carried out by different actors;
Amendment 76 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Expects initiatives aiming at givingby the Secretary- General the possibility to demonstrate - on the basis of further analysis - that the management representations contained in the annual activity reports and the declarations of the Directors-General present a complete and reliable picture and that any problems have been brought to his attention;
Amendment 81 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Further notes - and strongly regrets - that only some Directors- General "indicated the risks associated with their operations or reported on the working of their internal control systems" (reply to Question 4.2.1) while the Financial Regulation in the second paragraph of Article 60(7) clearly states that Authorising Officers shall indicate in the annual activity report "the efficiency and effectiveness of the internal control system";
Amendment 83 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Notes with surprise that that failure was "no doubt due to the fact that the instructions for the drafting of the 2008 annual activity reports left the Authorising Officers by delegation greater latitude in the manner in which they reported, notably on their internal control systems" (reply to Question No 4.2.); is pleased however to note that the instructions in this regard for the 2009 reports were stricter and expects that all Director-Generals act accordingly;
Amendment 92 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
53. Stresses that in any system of financial management there must be a counterweight to those who authorise expenditure and is of the opinion that the present counterweight function onlyshould be improved in order to offers Parliament's political and administrative leadership a minimum degree ofthe best possible protection;
Amendment 96 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Invites the Secretary-General, therefore, to inform the discharge authority as soon as possible and no later than 1 JulySeptember 2010 about the precise measures - and deadline for implementation - he has taken or will take in view of reinforcing the internal control system and in particular as regards: - obtaining a second opinion at random on management representations, - reinforcing the Central Financial Unit allowing it fully to shoulder its centralservices with responsibility for the systemic adequacy of the internal control system on behalf of the Principal Authorising Officer by Delegation, - ensuring full compliance with Article 60(7) of the Financial Regulation by all Authorising Officers, - strengthening the counterweight function, - achieving clearer, shorter, more precise, more relevant, more professional annual activity reports aiming at providing the discharge authority with relevant information on the institution's use of public money, - adopting any other measure necessary for the Secretary-General to issue a meaningful declaration of assurance;
Amendment 107 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Notes that the identification and achievement ofCalls on the Secretary-General to ensure that world-class, risk-based, sound financial management in Parliament and full transparency towards European citizens on how Parliament uses public funds were not among the objectives for 2008 -is an objective to be reached in 20109;
Amendment 110 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Notes that the creation of the post of risk manager is in the administrative work programme 2009 - 2011 and stresses that the post should be created as soon as possible and no later than 1 May 2010 due to the size of Parliament's budget and the well-known, high reputational risk involved in the activities of Parliament;
Amendment 124 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 77
Paragraph 77
77. Is shocked that on 31 December 2008, the Fund incurred an actuarial deficit of EUR 121 844 000 and that, on the same date, the fund evaluated the remaining benefits to be paid to the members of the fund as EUR 276 984 000 (ECA Annual Report Annex 11.2) while having assets in the form of investments in the amount of EUR 155 140 000;
Amendment 140 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 88
Paragraph 88
88. Draws attention to the fact that matters concerning accountability in public politics and management of public institution's reputational risks are issues which cannot and should not be reduced to legal considerations and that its Legal Service should not, therefore, be dealing with such questions;
Amendment 198 #
2009/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 143 a (new)
Paragraph 143 a (new)
143a. Notes that in 2008 approximately 500 temporary agents worked in Parliament's administration; is concerned that those temporary agents are not offered any career perspective although they may stay in the institution for up to six years or even indefinitely; insists that temporary staff be offered a career development based on merit; calls on the Secretary-General to put the appropriate measures in place in 2010 and report to the Committee on Budgetary Control during the 2009 discharge on the progress made;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Points out that rather than returning unspent money to the Member States, Parliament decided - as in previous years - to conduct an end-of-year "mopping-up" transfer from various budget lines amounting to EUR 25 000 000 (2006: EUR 37 246 425) intended for the purchase of a building in Vienna for the establishment of a European Union House, jointly with the Commission; notes however that in previous discharge reports Plenary demanded an end to the mopping -up policy;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that the annexes to the balance sheet value the buildings owned by Parliament at EUR 1 015 159 978 after depreciation against a total acquisition cost of EUR 1 650 945 693; requests the Secretary-General to provide an overview on the depreciation for every building together with an explanation of the parameters used;
Amendment 3 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Welcomes and endorsesTakes note of the responses given by Parliament in the contradictory procedure with the Court;
Amendment 6 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Expresses its concern at the increasing number of cases of petty crime in the premises of the European Parliament, concerning mostly theft of personal items such as briefcases, portable computers, mobile phones, etc.; supports every effort made by the administration to achieve better security within Parliament's premises, such as the current proposals on improved systems for electronic access to Members' offices;
Amendment 12 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61 a (new) before heading DG Infrastructure and Logistics
Paragraph 61 a (new) before heading DG Infrastructure and Logistics
61a. Takes note of the overview provided by the Secretary General on the number of applicants for open posts above the level of Head of Unit; is concerned about the fact that for a large number of these posts the number of candidates was limited (1 or 2); requests that adequate measures are taken leading to an increase in the number of internal candidates for such posts;
Amendment 15 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69 a (new) before heading DG Finance
Paragraph 69 a (new) before heading DG Finance
69a. Requests the Secretary General to provide an overview for the year 2007, and, if possible, for the year 2008, of meetings which were cancelled at such a late stage that interpreters and other supporting staff could not be rescheduled, including the total costs involved and who was charged for these costs;
Amendment 19 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 99
Paragraph 99
99. Notes - in relation to the accounts of the ASBL managing the Member's voluntary pension fund - the independent auditor's statement that, without qualifying their opinion, the assets of the ASBL were actuarially deficient by EUR 30 917 229 as at 31 December 2007 (2006: EUR 26 637 836); expects that this amount will have increased substantially in 2008 and 2009 due to a severe decline in the financial markets, considering that the fund holds around 68% of it assets in equities;
Amendment 20 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102
Paragraph 102
102. Notes the intention to negotiate a convention between the Parliament and the fund; points out that under no circumstances will Parliament in the prevailing economic situation provide extra money out of the budget to cover the fund's deficit, as it did in the past, and also that if it has to guarantee the pension rights, Parliament should have full control over the fund and its investment policies;
Amendment 22 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 106
Paragraph 106
106. Notes that at its meeting of 22 October 2007, the Bureau decided not to comply with a recommendation by the European Ombudsman (complaint 655/2006/(SAB)ID) that Parliament should give access to the list of members of the voluntary pension scheme, notwithstanding a positive opinion of the European Data Protection Supervisor; calls on the Bureau to reconsider its position and to publish the list in accordance with the advice of Parliament's own Legal Service and in line with the transparency policy of the Union to make public all end- beneficiaries of European funding;
Amendment 23 #
2008/2276(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109 a (new)
Paragraph 109 a (new)
109a. Requests its Secretary-General to inform its competent committees, in time for next year's discharge, on all follow-up which was given to the recommendations in Parliaments 2005 discharge with regard to environmental measures, including precise figures on the CO2 emissions reduction achieved by them;
Amendment 19 #
2008/2242(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Regrets that the Commission was unable to provide a comprehensive report on the follow-up to Parliament's resolution of 11 October 2007 on the implications of the agreement between the Community, Member States and Philip Morris on intensifying the fight against fraud and cigarette smuggling and progress made in implementing the recommendations of Parliament's Committee of Inquiry into the Community Transit System2, and in particular paragraph 49 thereof, which explicitly asked the Commission to publish such a report by the end of 2008; expects that the Commission will come forward with this report before the parliamentary elections inend of the discharge procedure for the financial year 20097;
Amendment 20 #
2008/2242(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Cannot accept that, whereas under the Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco agreements the Community received EURUSD 1,265 billion for the fight against fraud, instead of setting up a common approach, the Commission sent some 90% of this money un-earmarked straight to the Ministers of Finance of the Member States; Calls on the Council and the Commission to set up a tripartite working group with Parliament to find adequate solutions to make wise and better use of this and similar income of the Union. Finds it unacceptable that in times of economic downturn billions of Euro of fines, paid by major companies who violated European competition rules to the detriment of European consumers, are not used by the Union to stimulate the economy to the benefit of the unemployed and /or to help developing countries who will suffer most under the crisis, but instead are simply sent to the national treasuries;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes with interestHas taken note with some concern of the findings of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) report and the recommendations aiming at the correct use of structural funds;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that cohesion policy remains one of the main policies of the EU; underlines its important role in the EU's response to the financial crisis - when used correctly by the Member States - and its key place in the European Economic Recovery Plan; welcomes, therefore, the actions proposed by the Commission which are aimed at facilitating and accelerating the implementation of cohesion programmes;
Amendment 5 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the importance of the Action Plan adopted by the Commission on 19 February 2008 on strengthening the supervision under shared management for structural actions, which is designed to reduce errors in payment claims from Member States which have been estimated at 11%; is confident that this new Action Plan can significantly improve the situation, not least by assisting Member States to develop their ability to ascertain the eligibility of project expenditure; notes that the initial results contained in the first progress report concerning the Action Plan show good progress;
Amendment 7 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Asks the Commission to procure a breakdown per Member State of unduly paid reimbursements under the cohesion policies;
Amendment 8 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. ApprovesTakes note of the Commission's declared position on financial corrections namely that irregularities are more likely to be detected and corrected by the multi- annual corrective system; notes that the Commission continuously verifies the data provided by Member States as to its completeness and accuracy and that there has been real progress in providing reliable evidence for corrections by Member States;
Amendment 10 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes note of the level of error found by the ECA and remarks on the difference of interpretation by the ECA and the Commission as to the amount that should not have been reimbursed (especially the difference of interpretation concerning rules relating to the eligibility of expenditure); stresses the need for further clarification and requires the interpretation of the rules as to the application of financial corrections to be harmonised; also calls on the Member States who have not done so yet to provide as soon as possible annual national declarations on expenditure under shared management.
Amendment 26 #
Amendment 27 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Notes that the error rate for 31 % of the budget is above 5 % (Chart 1.1, Annual Report 2008); invites the Commission to present – before the end of the 2008 discharge procedure – annual targets for reducing that part of the budget where the error rate is above 2 %; also invites the Commission to set a final deadline for eliminating the ‘yellow and red area’ of the implementation of the budget;
Amendment 29 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with satisfaction the Court’s positive opinion concerning the reliability of the final annual accounts and the Court’s statement that, except as mentioned in some observations, the accounts present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Communities and the results of their operations and cash flows as at 31 December 2008;
Amendment 34 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets that the Statement of Assurance (DAS) still remains qualifiednegative in extremely important Community spending areas of the budget for the 2008 financial year (Rural development, Structural measures, Research, energy and transport, External actions at the level of implementing organisations and Enlargement), where payments are still affected by large-scale material errors;
Amendment 37 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Deplores the Commission's failure to act on the call made in the resolution of 22 April 2008 on discharge for the financial year 20061 for a specific document to be drawn up, and forwarded to Parliament and the Council, which analyses, on the basis of the annual summaries received, the strengths and weaknesses of each Member State's national system for the administration and control of Community funds and the results of the audits conducted, and calls on the Commission to regularly present a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the annual summaries in the activity reports; expects to receive the first of these assessments by September 2009;
Amendment 42 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Nevertheless, cConsiders also that having only one global and annual assessment does not reflect the complex structure of the European Communities´ finances, and further considers that to continue to have a negative annual assessment after 15 consecutive years may have negative repercussions amongst citizens who do not understand why the Court always gives a negative opinion;
Amendment 42 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Considers that the annual summaries which Member States have to provide of available audits and declarations, pursuant to the IIA of 17 May 2006, ought to be a first step towards the introduction of national management declarations in all Member States, is of the opinion that the Commission should use its legislative initiative to propose a Council decision to make national declarations compulsory;
Amendment 43 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Heading before paragraph 13
Heading before paragraph 13
Amendment 44 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 45 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 46 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Notes that the Commission has persistently claimed that the ‘multiannual nature’ of the expenditure concerned means that most errors can be detected and corrected before the closure of the relevant programmes; further notes that the Court considers that there is, at present, insufficient information available to support this claim;
Amendment 53 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Recalls its demand that the Commission produce an annual fund-by- fund grading per Member State, specifying the error rate established – both with and without the impact of corrective mechanisms – and that it forward this to Parliament in an active, transparent and easily accessible manner;
Amendment 56 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Draws attention to the example of Greece, where significant financial corrections brought about by Commission decision appear to have resulted in better performance in some areas; invites the Commission to identify these areas and recalls that, as regards the IACS, no evidence has been provided that the action plan set up and implemented by the Greek authorities was effective (2008 Annual Report, point 2.5);
Amendment 59 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46b (new)
Paragraph 46b (new)
46b. Reminds the Commission of the fact that a comprehensive easily accessible database containing information on all end beneficiaries of EU funding open to the wider public should be available before the next European elections;
Amendment 63 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Welcomes the initiative taken by certain Member States (Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom) to approve the adoption of a national declaration on the management of EU funding, butdraw up national management declarations; notes, however, the big differences between the four national initiatives; warmly welcomes the letter from the now former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands, Mr Wouter Bos, and the Swedish Minister of Finance, Mr Anders Borg, to Commissioner Kallas inviting the Commission to issue guidance on the definition of key aspects of national declarations, which could also serve as a valuable source of information for other Member States; regrets the fact that, despite those initiatives, most other Member States have yet to introduce them;
Amendment 65 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
Amendment 66 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Draws attention to the first paragraph of Article 317 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which clearly provides that Member States are to cooperate with the Commission to ensure that the appropriations are used in accordance with the principles of sound financial management (ex Article 274 of the EC Treaty), which now provides that the Commission ‘shall implement the budget in cooperation with the Member States’, and remains convinced that progress will be made by obtaining national management declarations covering all EU funds coming under shared management, as requested by Parliament in its last five annual discharge resolutions;
Amendment 68 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Points to the second paragraph of Article 317 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which imposes certain as yet undefined control and audit obligations of the Member States and resulting responsibilities; in that regardvites the Commission to use the new wording of Article 317 to introduce mandatory national management declarations as soon as possible; also refers to Article 291 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which provides the Commission with new tools to achieve an even and uniform implementation of legally binding Union acts;
Amendment 72 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
Amendment 85 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Welcomes the above-mentioned Commission communication of 16 December 2008 on a common understanding of the concept of tolerable risk of error as a sound methodological basis for an economic analysis of acceptable levels of risk; invites the Commission to address all weaknesses and shortcomings identified by the Court of Auditors, and underlines the following: – the definition of a possible tolerable risk of error is only one of several elements to be explored with a view to improving financial management in the European Union; other elements are (1) better use of existing control systems, (2) an increase in what are generally very low control costs, (3) simplification and (4) concentration; – the quality of the information available from the Member States is currently not sufficient as a basis for the establishment and approval of a tolerable risk of error; – the Council’s position on the question is not known;
Amendment 88 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62
Paragraph 62
62. Wonders whetherIs of the opinion that the number of audits carried out by the ECA (180 interim reimbursements according to paragraph 6.21 of the annual report for 2007) is probably sufficient to estimate an error rate for hundreds of thousands of payments to final beneficiaries, but requests the ECA to carry out an extended audit on a sample of another 250 interim reimbursements;
Amendment 94 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
Amendment 97 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56 a (new)
Paragraph 56 a (new)
56a. Stresses that it will not be possible to continue the definition of any kind of ‘tolerable risk of error’ until national management declarations have been made mandatory; regrets that the Commission puts more effort into convincing Parliament about the need to introduce a ‘tolerable risk of error’ than into persuading Member States of the need for mandatory national management declarations;
Amendment 99 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 58
Paragraph 58
58. Calls on the Commission to organise an interinstitutional discussion involving, at the highest level, representatives of the Council, of the Commission, of the Court and of Parliament, with a view to embarking on a comprehensive debate on the current discharge procedure system, on which the DAS has been negative for 15 years, and to give thought to the main reforms needed in order to obtain a positive DAS as soon as possible;
Amendment 100 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
Amendment 103 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Regrets that, in the 2008 Annual Report, the Court once again stresses that some of the annual activity reports still do not include sufficient evidence for its DAS; invites the Court of Auditors to include in the different chapters of the Annual Report a detailed analysis of the corresponding Annual Activity Reports;
Amendment 116 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 93
Paragraph 93
93. Wonders aboutTakes note of the role and growing number of NGOs in the administration of Community funds; calls on the Commission to review thealuate the effectiveness of operating grants for the NGOs' Brussels headquarters, and to allow those grants to expire in 2013;
Amendment 130 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Heading after paragraph 95
Heading after paragraph 95
Common agricultural policy 2014-2020
Amendment 131 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 95 a (new)
Paragraph 95 a (new)
95a. Believes, on the basis of past experience, that a reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) for 2014-2020 should be envisaged in accordance with the following general principles: (1) reducing the overall expenditure on the CAP and increasing investment in green and forward-looking technology, (2) shifting from direct subsidies to rewards to farmers for work done for the public good, such as maintaining the rural landscape and improving environmental standards and animal welfare, (3) encouraging local, smaller-scale and more sustainable methods of farming, (4) measures to avoid the current situation in which big landowners with good farming land get most money, (5) measures in support of ‘transition initiatives as well as other initiatives towards a low-emission world;
Amendment 139 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 115
Paragraph 115
115. Deplores the cases of fraud and mismanagement of European funds identified in connection with EU funding of reconstruction work in Kosovo but would like to express also its gratitude to the European Agency for Reconstruction and its "European"- and local staff for the work done for the people of Kosovo in sometimes difficult circumstances;
Amendment 200 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the implementation of major EU policies is characterised by the ‘shared management’ of the Community budget by the Commission and the Member States, under which 80 % of Community expenditure is administered by the Member States,
Amendment 202 #
2008/2186(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas improvement of the financial management in the Union must be supported by a close monitoring of progress in the Commission and in the Member States, and whereas Member States should assume responsibility in the management of EU funds, ensuring the completion of an effective EU integrated internal control framework with the aim of obtaining a positive Statement of Assurance (DAS)improving management of the EU budget; whereas it should be made clear once and for all that ‘a positive Statement of Assurance’ is not an objective in itself and that the Statement of Assurance is an expression of the quality of the management of the funds,
Amendment 1 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the Commission, in its communication of 31 May 2006 concerning the need to develop a co- ordinated strategy to improve the fight against fiscal fraud (COM(2006)0254), observed that Member States were not making sufficient use of the possibilities for administrative cooperation offered by the reinforcement of the legal framework under Regulation (EC) No 1798/2003, and considered the level of administrative cooperation to be disproportionate to the volume of intra-Community trade,
Amendment 2 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Court of Auditors' Special Report No. 8/2007, which provides an independent assessment of administrative cooperation to fight VAT evasion and fraud and analyses Member States’ performance and the Commission’s role in great detail; concludes, on the basis of the Court of Auditors' findings, that Regulation (EC) No 1798/2003 is not an effective tool for administrative cooperation as several Member States obstruct its implementation and the Commission's role is limited;
Amendment 3 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Urges the Commission and the Council to give a higher priority to the development of a common approach in order to quantify and analyse VAT fraud, which should allow assessment as to whether measures taken by Member States against VAT evasion and fraud are successful, or whether they just trigger a displacement of VAT fraud to other economic sectors or Member States;
Amendment 4 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Requests the Commission and, the Council and the Member States to fully take into account the conclusrecommendations of the Contact Committee of the Supreme Audit Institutions of the European Union, which is currently drafting recommendations for of December 2007, which include proposals as to how Member States could improve their estimates and how a single model for the estimation of VAT fraud could be established;
Amendment 5 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges Member States to guarantee timely exchange of information on request; is convinced that the proposed amendments to the VAT directive and to Regulation No 1798/2003 aiming at shortening the deadlines for the collection and the exchange of information will only produce their full effects if Member States which have not yet done so set up monitoring mechanisms to ensure timely answers to requests; requests the Commission to inform it about the progress made by individual Member States in setting up the monitoring mechanisms and to assess their effectiveness;
Amendment 6 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Council to address the discrepancy between the number of requests for information which a Member State claims to have received and the number of requests other Member States claim to have sent to it, and to solve this problem as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 7 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Regrets that simultaneous, multilateral controls are not sufficiently used by Member States, although the Community provides for their funding and the Court of Auditors reports that good results can be achieved;
Amendment 8 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Regrets, particularly in the light of the above-mentioned shortcomings observed by the Court of Auditors with regard to Germany, that Germany did not comply with the Court's audit request; supports the Court of Auditors' view that Germany's refusal constitutes a breach of its obligations under the EC Treaty; calls on the Commission to start an infringement procedure before the Court of Justice against Germany without further delay; invites the Court of Auditors to carry out the planned audit in Germany in the case of a favourable judgment of the Court of Justice;
Amendment 9 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that the Commission has no access to the content of information exchanged under Regulation (EC) No 1798/2003, but is limited to the maintenance and development of the communication network; agrees with the Court of Auditors that this hampers the Commission's ability to detect the reasons for problems and to put forward solutions;
Amendment 10 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that Europol opened an analytical work file on missing trader intra- Community fraud in April 2008, which aims at identifying the organisers of fraud, uncovering their criminal networks and analysing the most common forms of missing trader intra-Community fraud;
Amendment 11 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Agrees that a new political impetus is needed in order to achieve substantial improvements in cooperation in the fight against VAT fraud; however, firmly opposes the tendency to step backwards into forms of intergovernmental cooperation, as suggested in the current debates in the Council; considers that the Commission as the institution driven by European and not national interests would be better placed to act as a coordinator than a Member State;
Amendment 12 #
2008/2151(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Asks the Council to continue negotiations on the proposal for a regulation on mutual administrative assistance in the fight against fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Community, including VAT fraud, which would provide a detailed framework for multidisciplinary administrative anti-fraud cooperation;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2055(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that, for many years, EU regional policy has demonstrated to the European public its unique European added-value by effectively promoting economic and social cohesion across the EU, whilst at the same time contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs; opposes, therefore, any attempt to re- nationalise this Community policy; reiterates its long-standing position that cohesion policy should relate to the whole of the territory of the EU and that the larger part of the financial resources available should be concentrated on the needs of less-developed regions; calls upon the Commission to evaluate the extent to which Structural Funds programmes can help in the achievement of specific objectives of Community legislation, such as those laid down in the Community's climate change and energy legislation and in the biodiversity action plan;
Amendment 20 #
2008/2055(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the need to simplify the procedures for the implementation of Structural Funds, especially the management and control systems, whilst at the same time ensuring the adequacy of the financial control mechanisms and the implementation of the Action Plan to strengthen supervision under shared management for structural actions; notes that the complexity of the system is to a certain extent responsible for the poor absorption by the Member States of the available resources; urges the Commission to present without further delay concrete proposals for simplifying relevant procedures which should be implemented immediately;
Amendment 23 #
2008/2055(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the Commission has for the first time engaged in a systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of the 2000- 2006 operational programmes; awaits with great interest the results of this evaluation, which is a serious attempt to measure the effectiveness of cohesion policy actions; notes, however, that it is extremely difficult to fully appreciate the positive effects that cohesion policy has had in reality, as they cannot be measured in purely economic termsurges the Commission to make EU funding from the 2007-2013 financial framework conditional on achieving the specific objectives of Community legislation such as those laid down in the Community's climate change and energy legislation and in the Biodiversity Action Plan and to ensure the suspension of EU funding in the event of non-compliance with Community environmental law;
Amendment 28 #
2008/2055(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Acknowledges that the current financial crisis has significantly changed the economic and financial situation in many Member States; notes that, as a result of this crisis, national investment priorities may change and, for that reason, several operational programmes might need to be adapted; recommends that these adaptations be concentrated on the new challenges of climate and demographic change, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources and sustainable and inclusive cities; underlines the fact that Member States may also face liquidity problems that prevent them from ensuring the payment of national contributions towards the implementation of structural actions and programmes; urges the Commission to work closely with the Member States in a joint effort to re-launch the European economy; also calls on the Commission to propose changes to the existing legislative framework for the Structural Funds 2007- 2013, where necessary;
Amendment 313 #
2008/2015(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 115 a (new)
Paragraph 115 a (new)
115a. Stresses the coordinating role of the EU and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in providing advice to the general public on avoiding insect borne diseases;
Amendment 315 #
2008/2015(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 116
Paragraph 116
116. Notes that possible measures may include improving preparedness for natural disasters, public health services and emergency planning, support for measures to promote health in all sectors, and measures to increase awareness, particularly public information about new types of dangers to health, warnings and specific tips on avoiding exposure with special reference to insect-borne disease and heat waves;
Amendment 522 #
2008/2015(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital CA
Recital CA
CA. whereas many of the effects of climate change on health may be kept at bay by preparing and strengthening health systems, and by appropriate preventive measures, including public information and outreach campaigns,
Amendment 526 #
2008/2015(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital CA a (new)
Recital CA a (new)
CAa. whereas, according to the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, climate change will lead to increased levels of insect-borne disease, including malaria, chikungunya and Lyme disease, requiring adaptation measures,
Amendment 28 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has adopted two opinions on the welfare aspects of the main systems of stunning and killing of certain species of animals, namely on the Welfare aspects of the main systems of stunning and killing the main commercial species of animals, in 2004 and on the welfare aspects of the main systems of stunning and killing applied to commercially farmed deer, goats, rabbits, ostriches, ducks, geese and quail, in 2006. In 2001 the Scientific Committee on the Animal Health and Animal Welfare (SCAHAW) adopted a report on The Welfare of Animals Kept for Fur Production which included a review of the killing methods used in fur factory farms. Community legislation in this area should be updated to take into account those scientific opinions. Recommendations to phase out the use of carbon dioxide for pigs and poultry, as well as to phase out the use of waterbath stunners for poultry were not included in the proposal because the impact assessment revealed that they were not economically viable at present in the EU. Furthermore other recommendations should not be part of this Regulation because they refer to technical parameters that should be part of implementing measures or codes of good practices. Recommendations on farm fish were not included in the proposal because there was a need for further scientific opinion and economic evaluation in this field.
Amendment 31 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) Depending on how they are used during the slaughtering or killing process, some stunning methods can lead to death while avoiding pain and minimising distress or suffering for the animals. Consequently, it is not necessary to make a distinction between reversible and non- reversible methods of stunning.
Amendment 33 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Personnel with several years of experience may be presumed to have a certain level of expertise. A transitional period of no more than one year regarding the certificate of competence requirements should therefore be provided for in this Regulation with regards to such personnel.
Amendment 35 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) Guidelines are necessary to provide operators and the competent authorities with specific information on the construction, layout and equipment of slaughterhouses and fur factory farms in order to ensure a high level of protection for animals, while maintaining a level playing field for operators. It is therefore necessary that the Community authorises the Commission for adopting such guidelines.
Amendment 36 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 38
Recital 38
(38) Science and technical progress are regularly made with regard to the handling and restraining of animals at slaughterhouses and fur factory farms. It is therefore important that the Community authorises the Commission for amending the requirements applicable to the handling and restraining of animals before slaughterkilling while keeping a uniform and high level of protection for animals.
Amendment 37 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 39
Recital 39
(39) Guidelines are necessary to provide operators and competent authorities with specific information on the handling and restraining of animals before slaughterkilling in order to ensure a high level of protection for the animals, while maintaining a level playing field for operators. It is therefore necessary that the Community authorises the Commission for adopting such guidelines.
Amendment 38 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 41 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point m
Article 2 – point m
(m) “fur animals” means animals of the mammal species primarily reared for the production of fur such as minks, polecats, foxes, raccoons, coypuraccoon dogs, coypu, rabbits and chinchillas;
Amendment 45 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
3. Annex I may be amended in accordance with the procedureregulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 22(2a) to take account of scientific and technical progress.
Amendment 46 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
(fa) the killing of fur animals The adoption of this amendment requires the deletion of Art. 7(3) of the Commission proposal.
Amendment 47 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the maximum throughput for each slaughter line and fur factory farm;
Amendment 51 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Operators of fur farms shall notify the competent authority in advance when animals are to be killed to enable monitoring to take place.
Amendment 52 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21
Article 21
Any detailed rules necessary for the implementation of this Regulation, including for the slaughter or the killing of fish, may be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 22(2).
Amendment 53 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a (1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
Amendment 54 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1
Article 24 – paragraph 1
1. Until 31 December 2018, Article 11(1) shall only apply to new slaughterhouses or for any new construction, or layout or equipment covered by the rules set out in Annex II, which have not entered into operation before the date of [application/entry into force] of this Regulation.
Amendment 55 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2
Article 24 – paragraph 2
2. Until 31 December 2014, Member States may provide for certificates of competence, as referred to in Article 18, to be issued withoutfollowing a simplified examination to persons demonstrating relevant uninterrupted professional experience of at least [ten] years.
Amendment 57 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – table 2 – row 2
Annex I – table 2 – row 2
No Name Description Category of animals Key parameters Specific requirements of Chapter II of this Annex 2 Head-to- Exposure of the body to a current generating at the All species except lambs , Minimum current (A or mA). Point 3. Back same time a generalised epileptic form on the EEG or piglets of less than Minimum voltage (V). electrical (stunning) and the fibrillation or the stopping of the 5 kg live weight and , cattle, Maximum frequency (Hz). Point 4 for foxes and killing heart (killing). cattle. and fur animals. Minimum time of exposure. chinchillas. Frequency of calibration of the equipment Optimisation of the current flow. Prevention of electrical shocks before stunning.
Amendment 58 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – chapter II – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 4.2 and 4.3
Annex I – chapter II – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 4.2 and 4.3
Amendment 59 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – chapter II – paragraph 8
Annex I – chapter II – paragraph 8
Amendment 60 #
2008/0180(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – chapter II – paragraph 9
Annex I – chapter II – paragraph 9
Amendment 55 #
2008/0035(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. The cosmetic product safety assessment, as set out in Part B of Annex I shall be carried out by a person in possession of a diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualifications awarded on completion of a university course of study, or a course recognised as equivalent by a Member State, extending over a period of at least three years of theoretical and practical study in pharmacy, toxicology, medicine or a similar discipline.
Amendment 2 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas on various shores in Southern Asia enormous seagoing ships are dismantled under conditions which are environmentally damaging and harmful to people; whereas some ofreminiscent of the darkest middle ages: giant ships are sailed onto the beach at high tide, and then dismantled on the spot, with zero workers’ health protection (e.g. half-naked people taking out asbestos with their bare hands) and all pollutants such as oils, sludges, lead- based paints, PCBs, PVC, asbestos being discarded directly into the se ships originate in the EUa or onto the beach; whereas most ships owned by EU companies are disposed of in this way,
Amendment 4 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the Commission looked into the economics of ship scrapping already in a study back in 2000, but refrained from any action, as the study considered it to be extremely difficult to make ship recycling economically viable while at the same time respecting sound environmental standards; whereas this primacy of short-term profits over human lives and environmental pollution is unacceptable,
Amendment 5 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas it is regrettable that possible action is only discussed after high-profile cases such as the attempt by the French government to dispose of its aircraft carrier “Clémenceau” outside the EU created public awareness,
Amendment 6 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas this situation couldis bound to deteriorate further because in the next few years manyall single-hull oil tankers will be withdrawn from operation, while there isith a massive peak in 2010, while there is at the same time insufficient dismantling capacity in the EU to deal with them, let alone environmentally sound capacity,
Amendment 7 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
Amendment 9 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas it is possible for a ship to become waste as defined in Article 2 of the Basel Convention while at the same time remaining classified as a ship pursuant to other international provisions; whereas this loophole is systematically exploited, leading to most EU ships being scrapped in Asia in full circumvention of the Basel ban and the corresponding provisions in the EU Waste Shipments Regulation,
Amendment 11 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas Parliament had called for guidelines to be developed by the Commission to close this loophole during the revision of the Waste Shipments Regulation already in 2003, but Council refused to accept this, instead deferring further action to the joint work by three international bodies (Basel Convention, ILO, IMO) to establish mandatory requirements at the global level;
Amendment 12 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas any vessel that contains substantial quantities of hazardous substances or from which these substances have not been properly removed according to the formulation of OECD Waste Code CG 030 and according to the listing of the Basel Convention constitutes hazardous waste; whereas, and therefore the transfer of such a vessel from the EU to a non-OECD country for dismantling is therefore banned under the Basel ConventionWaste Shipments Regulation, that transposed the Basel Convention into Community law,
Amendment 14 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas ships which are regarded as hazardous waste must be dismantled under environmentally correct conditions in an OECD country or, after decontamination (so that they no longer constitute hazardous waste), may be transferred to non-OECD countries; whereas this is however systematically disregarded,
Amendment 15 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas both maritime law and IMO conventions lay down that coastal states have the right and the duty to enforce all relevant international legal provisions with the aim of protecting the environment; whereas, however, the Basel Convention is rarely complied with in respect of ships for scrapping, inter alia because it is difficult to apply the Waste Shipments Regulation outside European wof lack of political will to close the loopholes and to tackle the structural hiding of responsibility in the shipping sector, best illustrated by the phenomenon of flag staters,
Amendment 16 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas at European Union level the Waste Shipments Regulation is the regulatory framework for implementing the Basel Convention, including the export of ships at the end of their lives; whereas enforcement of this regulation is inadequate in respect of ships for scrapping, as ships flying an EU flag are often scrapped only once they have already left European waters, owned by Europeans, or operating in European waters or flying an EU flag go for a last 'normal' voyage, and are only declared a waste once they have already left European waters, with no further control mechanisms or enforcement guidance to stop these violations of international and Community law,
Amendment 17 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. Whereas the preamble to the Waste Shipments Regulation states that 'It is necessary to ensure the safe and environmentally sound management of ship dismantling in order to protect human health and the environment',
Amendment 18 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
Recital J b (new)
Jb. whereas with a view to closing loopholes found in the Basel Convention regime, the IMO is drafting a convention designed to solve this problem worldwide;
Amendment 19 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J c (new)
Recital J c (new)
Jc. whereas at the Seventh Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, Parties including the Member States of the European Union, in order to apply more rigour with respect to preventing the export of toxic ships, have invited the IMO to continue to consider the establishment in its regulations of mandatory requirements, including a reporting system for ships destined for dismantling, that ensure a level of control equivalent to that established under the Basel Convention and to continue work aimed at establishing mandatory requirements to ensure the environmentally sound management of ship dismantling, which might include pre-decontamination within its scope,
Amendment 20 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J d (new)
Recital J d (new)
Jd. whereas the draft IMO Convention on ship recycling in its current form has not established a level of control equivalent to that of the Basel Convention and the Waste Shipments Regulation, nor does the draft attempt to prevent the export of toxic wastes to developing countries, nor envisage mechanisms based on the polluter pays principle nor the substitution principle for green ship design, nor audited standards for ship recycling yards, among other concerns, and may in any case not be able to attract ratifications from current ship recycling states or prominent flag states,
Amendment 21 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J e (new)
Recital J e (new)
Je. whereas in any case it is anticipated that it could take many years to adopt such an IMO convention, after which it could again be years before it enters into force because of a protracted ratification process,
Amendment 22 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the EU has insufficient capacity to dismantle its ships (ships sailing under EU flags or owned by EU owners) cleanly and whereas this particularly applies to the merchant shipping fleet; whereas the lack of capacity will increase dramatically in 2010 because of the accelerated phasing-out of single- hull tankers,
Amendment 23 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. Whereas concrete regulatory action at EU level is therefore of the utmost urgency if those single-hull tankers are not to further deteriorate the beaches and river banks of Southern Asia; whereas there is no excuse for not acting, all the more since these single-hull tankers can clearly be identified,
Amendment 24 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the primary market for the dismantling of ships currently operates only under very poor conditions, which seriously violate the social, environmental and health principles accepted in the EU,
Amendment 30 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the thorough analysis in the Green Paper of the principal social and environmental problems arising from operations involved in the dismantling of ships in Southern Asian countries; however, stresses that this initiative is at least ten years overdue;
Amendment 31 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that practical measures must be taken quickly, the main aim being to protect the environment and public health without simply displacing the problems to other countriesStresses that there is no time to spare, as it is predicted that in 2010 nearly 800 single-hull tankers will have to be dismantled;
Amendment 35 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that there is little time to spare, as it is predicted that in 2010 nearly 800 single-hull tankers will have to be dismantledConsiders therefore that practical measures must be taken before 2010, prior to the adoption of the IMO Convention and prior to the peak year of the accelerated phase-out of single-hull tankers; stresses that the main aim should be to protect the environment and public health without simply displacing the problems to other countries;
Amendment 36 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls upon the Commission to draft the requisite guidelines and mechanisms to determine when a ship should be regarded as waste pursuant to the definition in the Framework Directive on Waste, in order to prevent evasion of the provisions of the Waste Shipments Regulation, and to likewise examine the question of when a Member State can be seen as a 'state of export' under the Waste Shipments Regulation, including port states, flag states and states with jurisdiction over ship owners;
Amendment 37 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 41 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls upon the Member States and the Commission to implement the Waste Shipments Regulation more effectively by means of stricter inspections and supervision by port authorities in Member States, with the proviso that port states must have the pa view to empowering port states, flag states, and states with jurisdiction over owners (waste generators) to declare a ship 'end- of-life' and therefore a waste regardless of whether or not the ship is still operable;
Amendment 42 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls upon the Commission to compile and maintain a list of seagoing ships which are likely to be scrapped within a few years and to envisage mechanisms whereby such ships are considered as 'pre-waste ships' for which a disposal plan needs to be drawn up prior to selling for scrapping; calls on the Member States and port authorities to use this list to step up their monitoring of these ships, which could potentially be scrapped;
Amendment 47 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls upon the Commission and Member States to insist that the futurenegotiate an IMO Convention shouldthat incorporates extensive requirements and regulations which can ensure an adequate level of supervision: - ensures a level of control at least equivalent to that of the Basel Convention, - provides for a high global safety and environmental standard of Ship Recycling that is third party audited and certified, - disqualifies beaching as an appropriate dismantling methodology, - will not allow ship dismantling by non- Parties; - establishes the substitution principle for eliminating the current use of hazardous materials in the construction of new ships; considers that the future convention should impose a requirement either to remove all hazardous materials from end-of-life ships before sending them for dismantling to non-OECD countries or to send them to specially authorised recycling companies in OECD or EU countries which comply with clearly defined safety and environmental standards;
Amendment 55 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers that monitoring of the implementation of the future IMO Convention should be just as stringent as inare the caserequirements of the Basel Convention: all relevant standards and obligations of the International Labour Organisation Conventions must be incorporated in the instrument, no exceptions may be permitted and measures must be taken to prevent end-of-life ships which contain hazardous waste from departing for countries with inadequate installations which are notor which themselves constitute hazardous waste from departing to non-OECD countracting parties;
Amendment 57 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Urges that immediate measures be taken to support the development of a competitive and clean ship dismantling and remediation (pre-cleaning) industry in the EU; urges the Member States in this connection increasingly to require pre-clean recycling by ensuring thating and clean recycling of all ships which are State property, including warships, arend to dismantled them in a safe and environmentally sound manner in EU facilities; considers moreover that the development of recycling activities at European shipyards should be supported as part of EU industrial, structural and cohesion policy;
Amendment 58 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the suggestion by the Commission that certification and labelling systems should be established for safe and clean recycling facilities and considers that Community subsidies should be granted to the shipping industry only on condition that suchthey adhere to the Waste Shipments Regulation and to other EU requirements, such as the use of certified facilities are used; stresses that it cannot be the intention to conquer the ship dismantling market in Southern Asia but that on the contrary the aim should be to preserve it by promoting environmentally sound dismantling;
Amendment 65 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers that the 'polluter pays' principle, the principle of extended producer responsibility, and the principle of producer liability should be applied extensively in order to attain a lasting solution to this problem;
Amendment 67 #
2007/2279(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the proposal to establish a Fund for Ship Dismantling and calls upon the Commission and Member States to pursue with determination the aim of establishing such a fund at IMO level and simultaneously at EU level; calls upon the Commission in this connection also to investigate the possibility of compulsory insurance to ensure environmentally sound recycling from the moment when a ship first starts to operate;
Amendment 2 #
2007/2251(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that the EIB pursues a ‘zero- tolerance’ policy towards fraud and corruption, and welcomes the rise in the number of investigations and the increased cooperation with OLAF; also calls on the EIB to adopt an Anti -fraud Policy and Procedures which include measures leading to i) an administrative debarment mechanism for companies found guilty of corruption by the Bank and other Multilateral Development Bands (MDBs), ii) a whistleblower protection policy, and iii)a review of the existing procurement guidelines ;
Amendment 3 #
2007/2251(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the existence of a complaints office to receive and deal with external complaints, as well as of an appeals mechanism for complaints received via the European Ombudsman; supports this European Ombudsman/EIB’s dialogue but calls on the EIB to review its internal grievance mechanism and issue new appeal mechanism guidelines extended to all EIB financed operations;
Amendment 6 #
2007/2251(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the EIB’s desire for transparency in the framework of its disclosure policy, and the large amount of information that it makes available to the general public; encourages the EIB to develop the activities of its ‘Operations Evaluation’ department, which carries out an ex post evaluation of a representative sample of projects and programmes; calls on the EIB to comply with the transparency principle in line with its resolution of 19 February 2008 on transparency in financial matters1, disclosing the final beneficiaries of global loans lent through financial intermediaries;
Amendment 11 #
2007/2251(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the inclusion of promoting reliable, competitive, sustainable energy in the main features of the Bank’s programme of activities and calls on the EIB to inform Parliament by the end of 2008 on a comprehensive plan for investing in renewable energy sources including reporting on the amount of money lent and the list of projects supported;
Amendment 13 #
2007/2251(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the fact that sustainable development remains a fundamental requirement for the EIB; in particular, congratulates the EIB on its excellent results in terms of loan activity for environmental protection and social and economic cohesion, and asks the EIB to ensure that it engages actively with civil society, inter alia via consultation procedures; 2 Joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on European Union Development Policy: 'The European Consensus' - The European Consensus on Development (OJ C 46, 24.2.2006, pag. 1). encourages the EIB to reinforce its environmental and social policies further to improve and update its current standards, in particular concerning its external lending ;
Amendment 16 #
2007/2251(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Reiterates its encouragement to the EIB to give priority to funding trans-European networks, including cross-border infrastructure that enables national networks to be interconnected, which is an essential element in developing a market economy centred upon social cohesion; calls on the EIB to give priority to infrastructure or transport projects with a lower or negative carbon footprint and to inform Parliament by the end of 2009 about these projects including an estimate of the total emissions saved;
Amendment 21 #
2007/2251(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. calls on the EIB to operate in developing regions in line with the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which was endorsed on 2March 2005, particularly in delivering effective aid, enhancing mutual accountability, and adopting measurable development indicators;
Amendment 44 #
2007/2055(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
Amendment 44 #
2007/2054(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
Amendment 47 #
2007/2053(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
Amendment 48 #
2007/2053(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62
Paragraph 62
Amendment 49 #
2007/2053(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 63
Paragraph 63
Amendment 50 #
2007/2053(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
Amendment 51 #
2007/2053(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
Amendment 52 #
2007/2053(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
Amendment 47 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
Amendment 48 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62
Paragraph 62
Amendment 49 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 63
Paragraph 63
Amendment 50 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
Amendment 51 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
Amendment 52 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
Amendment 53 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67
Paragraph 67
Amendment 54 #
2007/2052(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68
Amendment 44 #
2007/2048(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60 a (new)
Paragraph 60 a (new)
60a. Congratulates the Director and his staff for the work done in a very difficult environment, which has considerably improved the image of the EU and its visibility;
Amendment 46 #
2007/2048(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60 c (new)
Paragraph 60 c (new)
60c. Is convinced that, at the point where the Commission takes over the management of the new Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance in view of the acquis-related tasks related to the Balkans, it should finally present to the Council a new mandate for the Agency, which should, as decided, finish its work in the Balkans by the end of 2008 and be converted into a truly European Agency for external actions;
Amendment 47 #
2007/2048(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60 d (new)
Paragraph 60 d (new)
60d. Considers that a new mandate for this successful agency would be the most efficient way to carry out the new tasks in external actions, which cannot be carried out by Commission services in Brussels or by Commission delegations;
Amendment 48 #
2007/2048(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60 e (new)
Paragraph 60 e (new)
60e. Considers that, with this new mandate, the Agency could play a most efficient role in areas where traditional development assistance cannot be implemented; considers also that this would significantly increase the EU's visibility;
Amendment 1 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. GPostpones its decision on grantsing its President discharge for implementation of the European Parliament budget for the financial year 2006;
Amendment 3 #
Amendment 5 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Urges its President to set up a working group which should immediately prepare, together with the competent Commission services, an assistants' statute to be proposed to the Council for adoption under the French presidency so that it can be applied as from the same day as the new Members' Statute;
Amendment 7 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1a (new)
Paragraph -1a (new)
-1a. Urges its President to use Parliament's leverage on the Council to have the assistants' statute adopted at the earliest possible moment;
Amendment 9 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that, in the same line of reasoning, Parliament stated in its resolution of 24 April 2007, as cited above, that the discharge exercise should also cover the decisions taken by the President, the Bureau and the Conference of Presidents, since political responsibility lies with the elected Members, not the officials; calls, therefore, on the President and the Vice-president responsible for the budget to participate in the future meetings of the Committee on Budgetary Control with a view to establishing a political dialogue;
Amendment 10 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recalls, in this context, that the plenary gives discharge to Parliament, represented by its President, pursuant to Rule 71 of the Rules of Procedure;
Amendment 11 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Welcomes and accepts the offer, made by the Secretary General during the hearing of 21 January 2008, to have regular meetings, outside the normal annual discharge procedure, with the Committee on Budgetary Control on the implementation of Parliament's budget;
Amendment 15 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Is of the opinion that Part 3 of the internal audit on the parliamentary assistance allowance (Key findings and detailed actions proposed) should be made available to Members and urges the Bureau to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control no later than the end of June 2008 of how these "actions proposed" will be implemented;
Amendment 16 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Is of the opinion that all reports by the internal auditor should be made available to the Members of the Committee on Budgetary Control as soon as they are finalized;
Amendment 22 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
56. Notes the Court of Auditors' critical remarks concerning inadequacies in the regulatory framework laid down by the Bureau, and that the greater part of the sums paid to MEPs under the PAA heading have not been accompanied by satisfactory supporting documents in relation to the expenses incurred in the Member's name; is aware, at the same time, of the efforts made by the Bureau and the administration in 2007 to remedy the situation; welcomestakes note of the information from the administration that at the end of 2007 it had received over 99% of the supporting documents;
Amendment 26 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Notes that the internal auditor's report proposes a two-stage evolution for Members' assistants' working conditions, i.e.: in the first stage, the contractual relation between the assistant(s) and the Member would be systematically based on a contract of employment, using an improved obligatory contract model: in the second stage, the aim would be to integrate the assistants into the staff category covered by the rules governing other servants of the Communities; is of the opinion that from June 2008 onwards new contracts with service providers should be limited to a maximum of 10% of the total yearly allowance for assistance per Member, and be paid out after the invoice and a copy of the work carried out have been sent to the administration;
Amendment 36 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. WelcomNotes the Bureau's approval, on 25 September 2006, of the Codex on parliamentary assistants and trainees at the EP, as well as the fact that all Members have received a copy of; calls on the responsible services to distribute this Codex once more, and asks the Bureau to take steps to ensure that Members comply with it;
Amendment 40 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 c (new)
Paragraph 64 c (new)
64c. Requests its Secretary General to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control by the end of September 2008 of the number of recovery orders issued and the total amount involved as follow-up to the internal auditor's report on the parliamentary assistance allowance;
Amendment 44 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
66. CallsRequests its Bureau, given that the fund is financed to the tune of two-thirds from the EU budget, forto make the list of its members to be made publicpublic without further delay, a demand supported by the European Ombudsman and the European Data Protection Officer; reminds the Bureau of paragraphs 11 to 15 of Parliament's resolution of 19February 2008 on transparency in financial matters1, whereby Parliament requested the publication of all end beneficiaries of European funding;
Amendment 47 #
2007/2038(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68
68. Recalls the call made on its administration in paragraph 77 of its above-mentioned resolution of 24 April 2007 for the suspension of payments as of January 2008 to Members not having supplied proof of their personal contributions to the voluntary pension fund having been reimbursed from a private income source; therefore urges the Secretary General to instruct the administration to suspend payments to such Members;
Amendment 1 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Paragraph 1
1. .....Postpones its decision on granting the Commission discharge in respect of the implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2006;
Amendment 10 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Heading before paragraph -1 (new)
Heading before paragraph -1 (new)
Request the Commission to fulfil the following conditions before 10 April 2008:
Amendment 11 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
Amendment 12 #
Amendment 13 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1a (new)
Paragraph -1a (new)
-1a. In the field of general budgetary management: • The Commission should present a proposal to the Council concerning national management declarations and should present a new point 5N for the Action Plan for an Integrated Internal Control Framework concerning national management declarations • The Commission should launch immediate infringement procedures and sanctions against those Member States which do not comply or partly comply with their obligations under the Structural Funds Regulation, the Financial Regulation and its implementing rules and the Interinstitutional Agreement such as to present the Commission with information on financial corrections and recoveries and to present annual summaries for the 2000-2006 and 2007- 2013 periods; • The Commission should present to Parliament an evaluation of the quality of all the annual summaries received for Agriculture, Structural Policy and Fisheries; the evaluation should entail a breakdown per Member State and per policy area and should give an opinion on the overall assurance and overall analysis that can be drawn from them;
Amendment 14 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1b (new)
Paragraph -1b (new)
Amendment 15 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1c (new)
Paragraph -1c (new)
Amendment 19 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3a (new)
Paragraph 3a (new)
3a. Recalls that in 2006 Community funding of Structural Policies totalled EUR 32,4 billion; points out that for 2007 this amount has risen to EUR 46,4 billion not including co-financing by Member States;
Amendment 20 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3b (new)
Paragraph 3b (new)
3b. Notes with great concern that in its 2006 Annual report, the ECA indicates that the reimbursement of expenditure to Structural Policies projects is subject to material error; that the proportion of reimbursements in the sample affected by error was 44% and "at least 12% of the total amount reimbursed in structural policies should not have been reimbursed;
Amendment 21 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3c (new)
Paragraph 3c (new)
Amendment 22 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3d (new)
Paragraph 3d (new)
3d. Urges therefore Commission to make use of ex-ante checks to verify if supervisory and control systems for the 2007-2013 period are in place in all the Member States and to regularly follow-up on them;
Amendment 23 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3e (new)
Paragraph 3e (new)
3e. Regrets also that, according to the ECA, the Commission maintains only moderately effective supervision to mitigate the risks of control systems in the Member States, failing to prevent reimbursement of overstated or ineligible expenditure;
Amendment 24 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3f (new)
Paragraph 3f (new)
3f. Notes with regret that, as pointed out by the ECA, for expenditure under structural policies (such as under the CAP and internal policies) complicated or unclear eligibility criteria or complex legal requirements have a negative impact on the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions;
Amendment 25 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3g (new)
Paragraph 3g (new)
3g. Finds it unacceptable that according to Commission1 little evolution is to be expected concerning simplification for the existing regulations for the 2007-2013 period for Structural Funds and that further simplification will only be proposed for the next legislative round; __________ 1 Commission statement under Action 1 in the Progress report on the Action Plan towards an Integrated Internal Control Framework (COM (2008)0110)
Amendment 26 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3h (new)
Paragraph 3h (new)
3h. Urges the Commission to follow up on the recommendation given by the ECA (paragraph 6.45) concerning the Cohesion Fund and to present further simplification proposals as soon as possible to the legislative authority, among others including clear and straightforward rules, guidelines and eligibility criteria;
Amendment 27 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3i (new)
Paragraph 3i (new)
3i. Considers and fully agrees with the ECA on this point, that Member State authorities have a very important role in the effective implementation of Structural Funds and Commission should reinforce their audits and make supplementary efforts with the supervision of the Managing Authorities in the Member States;
Amendment 28 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3j (new)
Paragraph 3j (new)
3j. Regrets the lack of incentives for Member States to effectively control the expenditure, since any ineligible expenditure identified by the Commission or the ECA, can be substituted for eligible expenditure by the Member State; asks the Commission to make sure that in the future only irregularities identified by Member States themselves could be substituted for other expenditure without any loss of funding for the Member State concerned;
Amendment 29 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3k (new)
Paragraph 3k (new)
3k. Welcomes the Commission's new Action Plan to strengthen the Commission’s supervisory role for structural actions (COM(2008)0097) with 37 measures aimed at reducing irregular payments made by Member States; welcomes also the Commission's commitment announced publicly in the committee hearing held on 25 February2008 to report quarterly to the Parliament on the progress of this Action Plan; expects the Commission to develop the reporting scheme in cooperation with the ECA;
Amendment 30 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3l (new)
Paragraph 3l (new)
Amendment 31 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3m (new)
Paragraph 3m (new)
3m. Asks the Commission to present to Parliament a scoreboard with a final implementation date on the implementation of the Action Plan to strengthen the Commission's supervisory role under shared management of Structural Actions(COM(2008)0097), including a common scheme of quantitative indicators and intermediate deadlines for its implementation; Is of the opinion that Commission should focus on the reliability of national monitoring and reporting systems, guidance to Member States and coordination of audit standards and should always give a breakdown per Member State;
Amendment 32 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3n (new)
Paragraph 3n (new)
3n. Expects the Commission to initiate infringement procedures against those Member States which have not complied with their obligations under the Regulations on Structural Funds, the Financial Regulation and its implementing rules and the Interinstitutional Agreement, in particular those who are not presenting reports on recoveries and financial corrections and those who are not presenting the annual summaries in conformity with the guidelines or those where the quality of the annual summaries is inadequate;
Amendment 33 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3o (new)
Paragraph 3o (new)
3o. Stresses the importance of Commission guidelines to effectively live up to the Interinstitutional Agreement; is of the opinion that these guidelines as a first step, should at least entail what is requested under the sector regulation for Agriculture (i.e. Declaration of Assurance signed by the head of the Managing Authority accompanied by a certification report);
Amendment 34 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3p (new)
Paragraph 3p (new)
3p. Insists that the Commission should start suspension procedures against Member States where first level control systems are inadequate, it has to speed up the sanctions system and present to Parliament a concrete plan of the timing and sanctions to be applied upon identification of irregularities;
Amendment 35 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3q (new)
Paragraph 3q (new)
3q. Insists on auditable reporting to Parliament on corrections and recoveries by the Commission for all unduly made payments for all funds, with precise definitions of all these different categories of financial corrections; expects the Commission to develop these reporting schemes in cooperation with the ECA and asks the ECA to give an opinion on the quality of the reports presented;
Amendment 36 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3r (new)
Paragraph 3r (new)
Amendment 37 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3s (new)
Paragraph 3s (new)
3s. Recalls action 11N1 that should have been implemented by 31 December 2007; expects the Commission to act accordingly "To determine whether recovery and offsetting systems are working effectively, by identifying amounts recovered in 2005 and 2006 and their coherence with errors identified during controls the Commission will, in direct management, develop a typology of errors and the relationship with recoveries, financial corrections and adjustments to payments and for share management it will examine the reliability of national monitoring and reporting systems."; _________ 1 Report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the European Court of Auditors on the progress of the Commission Action Plan towards an Integrated Internal Control Framework (COM(2007)0086).
Amendment 38 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3t (new)
Paragraph 3t (new)
3t. Is worried by Commission's statement in its Progress Report (COM(2008)0110) that only recoveries launched in 2008 will be recorded in the central financial and accounting system; urges therefore the Commission to record information in the central financial and accounting system on the control authority and the type of error and to retroactively encode all recoveries for the 1994-1999 and 2000- 2006 periods;
Amendment 39 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3u (new)
Paragraph 3u (new)
3u. Asks the Commission in this light to give an assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of multi-annual recovery systems and report on this in the 2008 or 2009 accounts;
Amendment 40 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3v (new)
Paragraph 3v (new)
3v. Expects the Commission to present to Parliament an evaluation before 10 April 2008 of the quality of all the annual summaries received for Agriculture, Structural Policy and Fisheries; the evaluation should entail a breakdown per Member State and per policy area and should give an opinion on the overall assurance and overall analysis that can be drawn from them;
Amendment 41 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3w (new)
Paragraph 3w (new)
3w. Regrets the diversity of information given by the Commission itself on financial corrections and recoveries and expects that the information provided for the discharge concerns exactly the same definitions of financial corrections as asked for the three-monthly reports;
Amendment 42 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3x (new)
Paragraph 3x (new)
Amendment 46 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4b (new)
Paragraph 4b (new)
4b. Recalls that funds spent on external actions in 2006 totalled EUR 5,867 billion and in payments EUR 5,186 billion;
Amendment 47 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4c (new)
Paragraph 4c (new)
4c. Deeply regrets the ECA’s findings, according to which once again a high incidence of error was detected in the sample tested at the level of project- implementing organisations (paragraphs 8.9 and 8.10 of the 2006 Annual Report) and only at EC Delegations level is there a lower level of error affecting transactions detected;
Amendment 48 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4d (new)
Paragraph 4d (new)
4d. Notes with concern that as regards implementing organisations, the ECA analysed the effectiveness of the Commission's internal control system and concluded that the Europe-Aid ex-post controls in 2006 did not cover transactions at the level of project- implementing organisations (paragraph 8.19 of the 2006 Annual Report);
Amendment 49 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4e (new)
Paragraph 4e (new)
4e. Notes that the ECA identified again the highest risk areas to be contracting procedures, the eligibility of expenditure at project level and insufficient supporting documentation;
Amendment 50 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4f (new)
Paragraph 4f (new)
4f. Regrets that as concerns the annual activity reports for DG AIDCO the ECA stressed that "the material incidence of error and the weaknesses in the supervisory and control systems designed to ensure the legality and regularity of the transactions at the level of project implementing organisations in the area of external actions found by the ECA are not sufficiently reflected in the annual activity report and declaration of Europe Aid Co- operation Office" (paragraph 2.17 and Table 2.1 of the 2006 Annual Report);
Amendment 51 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4g (new)
Paragraph 4g (new)
4g. Notes also with regret that once again in the analysis of some of the DG's Annual Management Plans there is no indication of project external auditors, nor of the particular risks associated with the different types of implementing organisations (NGO, international organisation, government institution, etc.) and funding methods (grant, budgetary support, trust fun, etc.) (paragraph 8.28 of the 2006 Annual Report);
Amendment 52 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4h (new)
Paragraph 4h (new)
4h. Notes with concern that the ECA’s findings referred to above were the same in the ECA's 2005 Annual Report, i.e. inconsistency of external audit information submitted to the headquarters, lack of systematic centralisation of this information in order to reach conclusions and insufficient follow up, and therefore asks the Commission to react to these findings urgently;
Amendment 53 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4i (new)
Paragraph 4i (new)
4i. Regrets also that according to the ECA's 2006 Annual Report "the Internal Audit Capability (IAC) does not at present provide an annual overall assessment of the state of internal control in Europe-Aid and DG ECHO ... Despite the creation during 2006 of two additional posts in the IAC, it does not seem feasible with the present staff complement to carry out, within the three-year cycle proposed, the full audit coverage identified in the Europe-Aid Audit Needs Assessment" (paragraph 8.30 of the 2006 Annual Report);
Amendment 54 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4j (new)
Paragraph 4j (new)
4j. Asks the Commission to carry out an annual overall assessment of the state of play of internal control in Europe-Aid and to evaluate if additional posts are necessary in the IAC service to implement this task;
Amendment 55 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4k (new)
Paragraph 4k (new)
4k. Notes the situation criticised by the ECA as regards the ex -post control activities of the Commission (paragraphs 8.23 and 8.33 of the 2006 Annual Report) and asks the Commission to regularly inform the Committee on Budgetary Control what steps will be taken by the Commission to remedy the situation;
Amendment 56 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4l (new)
Paragraph 4l (new)
4l. Invites the Commission to further develop Europe Aid's risk assessment by making reference to the findings of auditors at project level, and by making a separation between the different types of implementing organisations and the funding method;
Amendment 57 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4m (new)
Paragraph 4m (new)
4m. Invites EuropeAid to improve the terms of reference of its external audits to cover all known risk areas, including the verification of compliance with the Commission's requirements regarding contracting procedures and the eligibility of expenditure;
Amendment 58 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4n (new)
Paragraph 4n (new)
4n. Underlines that in the period 2000 to 2006 EU contributions to the UN have increased by 700% (from EUR 200 million in 2000 to EUR 1,4 billion in 2007); cannot understand the lack of follow up of funds transferred to international trust funds by the Commission;
Amendment 59 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4o (new)
Paragraph 4o (new)
Amendment 60 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4p (new)
Paragraph 4p (new)
4p. Insists that a harmonised information system should be urgently developed (preferably the Common Relex Information System (CRIS) database should be enabled to deliver this kind of information) in order to provide the discharge authority in particular, and the public in general, with a fully transparent database containing the full overview of projects financed with EU funds in the world and the final recipients of these funds;
Amendment 61 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4q (new)
Paragraph 4q (new)
4q. Recalls that under the Financial Regulation, the Commission should since May 2007 have been able to immediately identify in any case the final beneficiaries and the implementing actors of any of the projects financed or co-financed with EU funds;
Amendment 62 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4r (new)
Paragraph 4r (new)
4r. Considers that the visibility, political guidance and possibility of control by the Commission of international trust funds (where the EU is a major donor) should be strengthened without compromising the effectiveness of action in this field;
Amendment 63 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4s (new)
Paragraph 4s (new)
4s. Invites the Commission to present to Parliament, before granting discharge in respect of the financial year 2006, a plan to further increase in EU ownership of its external actions;
Amendment 64 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4t (new)
Paragraph 4t (new)
4t. Expresses its concern about a situation in which the two cases where Parliament asked for the list of projects financed by EU funds it took the Commission 2 ½ months to deliver the list of projects financed under CARDS and 13 months to provide basic information about the projects co-financed with EU funds in Iraq; insists on the immediate rectification of this situation for all funds managed under external actions;
Amendment 65 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4u (new)
Paragraph 4u (new)
4u. Urges the Commission to very seriously address the detected deficiencies regarding contracting procedures and the eligibility of expenditure, and deeply regrets the critical assessment of the ECA in this area, which is under the Commission's direct financial management;
Amendment 66 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4v (new)
Paragraph 4v (new)
4v. Agrees with the ECA that the Commission should include information on all audits of projects in the Common Relex Information System (CRIS) and should better link this information to project management information; also asks the Commission's EuropeAid headquarters to review the financial information provided by the delegations, supported through headquarters' audits, in order to ensure its completeness and consistency;
Amendment 67 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4w (new)
Paragraph 4w (new)
4w. Invites the Commission to improve the transparency and access to documentation relating to projects managed by UN agencies and to continue to develop clear guidelines and procedures within the Financial and Administrative Framework Agreement between the European Community and the United Nations (FAFA) setting out the framework for managing the financial contributions made by the Commission to the UN;
Amendment 68 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4x (new)
Paragraph 4x (new)
4x. Invites the Commission to report to Parliament on controls undertaken under the Financial and Administrative Framework Agreement between the European Community and the United Nations (FAFA);
Amendment 69 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4y (new)
Paragraph 4y (new)
4y. Appreciates the results of the audit of implementation of the Phare and ISPA instruments in Bulgaria and Romania and the assistance programme for Turkey, which identified an insignificant level of error; takes note of the errors and weaknesses found in relation to the implementation of the SAPARD instrument in Bulgaria and Romania; calls on the Commission to continue working with the authorities of both countries to ensure that all requirements for public tendering and sound financial management are met and that adequate assurance of the correctness, regularity and eligibility of claims on Community assistance is provided;
Amendment 70 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4z (new)
Paragraph 4z (new)
4z. Notes the ECA's assessment that the national supervisory systems linked to the Decentralised Implementation Systems (DIS) of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey remained weak;
Amendment 71 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4aa (new)
Paragraph 4aa (new)
4aa. Reiterates its concern about the delays in the accreditation of the Extended Decentralised Implementation System (EDIS) in Bulgaria, and urges the Commission and the Bulgarian authorities to step up their cooperation and efforts in order to ensure that adequate management and control structures as well as administrative capacities are in place to allow efficient functioning of EDIS;
Amendment 72 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4bb (new)
Paragraph 4bb (new)
4bb. Supports the recommendations of the ECA to the Commission that the Commission closely monitor the effective functioning of national supervisory and control systems, notably the preparation and management of tenders in Turkey, procurement under EDIS in Bulgaria and Romania and the timely delivery of national co-financing; underlines the need to strengthen the administrative capacity of those countries that have recently acceded and those which are in the course of accession;
Amendment 73 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4cc (new)
Paragraph 4cc (new)
4cc. Is pleased with the ECA's assessment that several remedial measures were introduced by the Commission in the follow-up to the ECA's special report on twinning from 2003; invites the Commission to motivate beneficiary governments more strongly to make use of the outputs of projects realised in the context of their reform efforts; supports the ECA's recommendation to the Commission that the Commission reduce the level of detail of the twinning contracts in order to allow greater flexibility for project management;
Amendment 74 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4dd (new)
Paragraph 4dd (new)
4dd. Notes the ECA's findings as to the legality and regularity of transactions in the field of external actions and of related supervisory and control systems; invites the Commission to undertake all necessary system improvements so as to ensure that irregularities identified at the level of project-implementing organisations in third countries are removed;
Amendment 75 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4ee (new)
Paragraph 4ee (new)
4ee. Invites the Commission to present to Parliament a report on what exactly has been done to alleviate the situation of Iraqi refugees and displaced persons;
Amendment 76 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4ff (new)
Paragraph 4ff (new)
4ff. Stresses its interest regarding the EU assistance provided to Afghanistan, and invites the Commission to present to Parliament a report on the state of play of the implementation of EU funds for Afghanistan and to comment on the expulsion from that country of the acting EU representative on a charge of having communicated with the Afghan Taliban;
Amendment 77 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4gg (new)
Paragraph 4gg (new)
4gg. Expects annual reporting to Parliament on budget implementation contracts, an annual list of projects and their location and lists of final beneficiaries; considers that the rapporteur for the discharge should have access to information declared confidential for security reasons;
Amendment 78 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4hh (new)
Paragraph 4hh (new)
Amendment 79 #
Amendment 80 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4ii (new)
Paragraph 4ii (new)
4ii. Regrets that the ECA's assessment of internal audits in DG ECHO is only "partially satisfactory" (Annex 8.2 of the 2006 Annual Report);
Amendment 81 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4jj (new)
Paragraph 4jj (new)
4jj. Fully supports the ECA's conclusions concerning DG ECHO in the 2006 Annual Report: “DG ECHO should clarify the rules on eligibility of expenditure to prevent varying interpretations and the balance between DG ECHO's headquarters and field audits of implementing partners should be reviewed, in order to obtain a better view of the reality of project expenditure” (paragraphs 8.11 and 8.18 of the 2006 Annual Report);
Amendment 82 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4kk (new)
Paragraph 4kk (new)
4kk. Regrets the finding of the DG DEV 2006 Annual Activity Report to the effect that "Ensuring the coherence of Community policies with an impact on developing countries, is a major source of risk. This risk is most relevant to respect to trade, notably Economic Partnerships Agreement (EPA) negotiations. This represents a critical dimension of development policy but the capacity in this area is concentrated in DG Trade. This risk persists in spite of the reinforcement and concentration of the responsibilities related to trade following DEV's reorganisation in July 2006"( point 2.1 of the 2006 Annual Activity Report, p. 18.);
Amendment 83 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4ll (new)
Paragraph 4ll (new)
4ll. Asks the Commission to present to the Committee on Budgetary Control its ideas on how to confront this situation and the measures to be taken in 2007 to improve the functioning of the internal control system in DG DEV with regard to the level of implementation of internal control standards;
Amendment 84 #
Amendment 85 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4mm (new)
Paragraph 4mm (new)
4mm. Notes with satisfaction that according to the ECA Special Report No 5/2006 concerning the MEDA programme, "the Commission’s management of the MEDA programme has clearly improved since the early years and can be considered as satisfactory";
Amendment 86 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4nn (new)
Paragraph 4nn (new)
4nn. Notes furthermore, as concluded by the ECA, that, as a result of devolution, EC Delegations played an important role in the implementation of the programme by helping partner countries to deal with the procedural aspects of procurement;
Amendment 87 #
2007/2037(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4oo (new)
Paragraph 4oo (new)
Amendment 14 #
2006/0167(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Annex a (new)
Annex a (new)
Amendment 28 #
2006/0147(COD)
Article 3 - paragraph 2 - point (j a) (new)
(ja) "produced by GMOs" shall mean derived by using a GMO as the last living organism in the production process, but not containing or consisting of GMOs nor produced from GMOs;
Amendment 44 #
2006/0147(COD)
Article 29
Directive 2000/13/EC
Annex III - paragraph 2 a (new)
Annex III - paragraph 2 a (new)
Amendment 21 #
2006/0145(COD)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) substances used for the protection of plants and plant products in accordanceconformity with Community rules relating to plant health, with the exception of post-harvest plant protection products used as preserving agents;
Amendment 25 #
2006/0145(COD)
Article 12
12. A food additive produced from, with or by GMOs or falling within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 may be included in the Community lists in Annexes II and III in accordance with this Regulation only when it is covered by an authorisation in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003. It shall be clearly labelled, displaying the words "produced by GMOs" or "produced from GMOs" next to its name or E Number.
Amendment 8 #
2006/0144(COD)
Recital 6
(6) Food enzymes should be approved and used only if they fulfil the criteria laid down in this Regulation. Food enzymes must be safe when used, there must be a technological need for their use and, their use must not mislead the consumer and their use should be of benefit to the consumer. Misleading the consumer includes, but is not limited to, issues related to the nature, freshness, quality of ingredients used, the naturalness of a product or of the production process, or the nutritional quality of the product. The approval of food enzymes should also take into account other factors relevant to the matter under consideration including societal, economic, traditional, ethical and environmental factors and the feasibility of controls.
Amendment 9 #
2006/0144(COD)
Recital 8
(8) Food enzymes the use of which is permitted within the Community should appear in a Community list that should clearly describe the enzymes and specify any conditions governing their use, including where necessary information on their function in the final food. This list should be supplemented by specifications, in particular on their origin, including where relevant information about allergenic properties, and purity criteria. Where the food enzyme is produced with or by a genetically modified organism (“GMO”) within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 1830/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 concerning the traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and the traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms1, the unique identifier assigned to the GMO under that Regulation should also be included in the specifications. 1 OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 24.
Amendment 10 #
2006/0144(COD)
Recital 9
(9) In order to ensure harmonisation, the risk assessment of food enzymes and their inclusion in the Community list should be carried out in accordance with the precautionary principle and with the procedure laid down in Regulation (EC) No …/… of the European Parliament and of the Council of … establishing a common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings.
Amendment 12 #
2006/0144(COD)
Recital 14
(14) In order to ensure fair and equal conditions for all applicants, the Community list should be drawn up in a single step. That list should be established after completion of the risk assessment of all food enzymes for which sufficient information has been submitted during the initial two-year period. However, the opinions of the Authority should be published as soon as the scientific assessment is completed.
Amendment 13 #
2006/0144(COD)
Article 6 - point (a)
(a) it does not, on the basis of the scientific evidence available and the precautionary principle, pose a safety concern to the health of the consumer at the level of use proposed and;
Amendment 15 #
Amendment 16 #
2006/0144(COD)
Article 7 - paragraph 2 - point (f)
(f) where necessary, specific requirements in respect of the labelling of food in which the food enzymes have been used in order to ensure that the final consumer is informed of the physical condition of the food or the specific treatment it has undergone.
Amendment 25 #
2006/0144(COD)
Article 21 - point 2
Directive 2000/13/EC
Article 6 - paragraph 6
Article 6 - paragraph 6
2) In Article 6(6), the following indent shall be added to Article 6(6): "“− enzymes other than as referred to in paragraph 4(c)(ii)present in the food product shall be designated by the name of one of the categories of ingredients listed in Annex II, followed by their specific name,". and an indication of whether they are still active in the final product or not; for enzymes produced from GMOs the indication “produced from GMOs” shall be given on the label,”.
Amendment 17 #
2006/0143(COD)
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. In duly justified cases wWhere the Authority requests additional information from applicants, the period referred to in Article 5(1) may be extended. After consulting the applicant, the Authority shall lay down a period within which this information can be provided and shall inform the Commission of the additional period needed. If the Commission does not object within eight working days of being informed by the Authority, the period referred to in Article 5(1) shall be automatically extended by the additional period. The Commission shall inform the Member States of the extension.